


Soleil Boulangerie

by prettiugli



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Eventual Smut, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Prideshipping, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2018-11-15 04:06:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 218,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11222970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettiugli/pseuds/prettiugli
Summary: A small, popular bakery opens up across from the university that Yami attends. Seto Kaiba wants to pursue his baking hobby and has worked very hard to land a position at that bakery. He'll be damned if anyone recognizes him, so he decides to change his appearance a bit. Miraculously, Yami doesn't seem to recognize him. Should Seto reveal himself? Dilemmas, love, conflict.●●●[AU, Prideshipping, smut, COMPLETED]





	1. Look! I'm falling head first!

**Intro**

The empty lot across from campus which had been under construction for months and had finally begun to show progress. What used to be am ugly, crumbled, concrete flat, was now a nice little bakery.

 _What a relief,_ Yami thought as he approached the front.

 _"Soliel Boulangerie"_ read the sign in large curly font. A flimsy "Now Hiring" sign clung to the door which was held on by single piece of tape, and was fluttering madly against the wind.

It was still dark inside but Yami was very intrigued.

He squinted, pressed up against the glass, and peered in. There were boxes stacked sky-high, a couple large screens above the register counter for the a menu, he assumed, and a nice long table set against the windows. It all looked very nice, but seemed like they wouldn't be opening for another few weeks. Yami sighed. Well, at least Yugi will appreciate this place when it opens. He took note of the bakery name once again and went on his way.

"I'm back." Yami called as he stepped into Kame Game Shop.

"Hey!" Yugi exclaimed happily as he dashed out from behind the cashier counter to give Yami a hug. "How was your day?"

"Good." Yami replied, untangling himself from Yugi, "The eyesore has finally become a real bakery. You know, the concrete lot in front of campus?"

Yugi nodded.

"Yes," Yami continued, "Well, it's called 'Soleil Boulangerie' and it looks like it will be a nice place for dates. You and Anzu should check it out and then tell me about it."

"They're done with construction?" Yugi asked, surprised. "Let me look them up, hang on." He walked back around the counter to access the store computer.

"Hmm..oh! Found it!" Yugi said excitedly and turned the monitor towards Yami. "Looks like they're hiring!"

Yami nodded at the screen, "Yes Yugi, but, what do the words mean?" He looked very serious and Yugi burst out laughing.

"Oh, you want to know what the store name actually means?" Yugi smiled and began typing into Google translate. "Okay, let me see...here! 'Soleil' means 'sun' in french, and 'boulangerie' just means 'bakery'" he said, looking at Yami carefully.

"I see." Yami said, nodding. "Well, thank you Yugi. I'll be going upstairs to finish some assignments."

Yugi laughed and gave Yami another hug, "Okay, I'll call you down when it's time for your shift at the counter."

* * *

 Kaiba was about to stand up from his desk when he heard the door to his office open slightly.

"Seto?" said Mokuba timidly through the crack in the door, "Seto? I'm hungry...".

Kaiba looked up from his laptop and said, "One moment."

He finished up his spreadsheet and closed it.  
He then walked swiftly across the room, pulled the door open and picked Mokuba up into his arms.

"Okay. I'll make us some dinner, let's head down." he said quietly.

"Can we eat the pies in the oven?" Mokuba asked, his voice muffled by Seto's shoulder.

"They're not just pies Mokuba, they're called quiches," Kaiba replied, carefully stepping into the elevator adjacent from his office.

"Did you make them earlier? I saw you in the kitchen poking around the oven." said Mokuba as the elevator began it's decent.

There was a moment of silence as Kaiba took note to how oblivious he'd been to his surroundings when he was baking earlier.

"Yes. I did." Kaiba said quietly. More silence as the elevator continued to slowly make it's way down.

"Fifth floor", chirped the automated voice in the elevator. Kaiba shuffled Mokuba in his arms as he stepped out of the elevator. He set Mokuba down on one of the bar stools by the kitchen and opened the oven.

"Do you know what quiches are, Mokuba?" Kaiba asked as he sliced and placed the food onto plates.

"Yea, they're...french pies?" Mokuba ventured.

"That is correct." Kaiba smiled softly and placed a large slice of quiche in front of Mokuba. "Dig in kiddo."

Mokuba's face lit up, "Thanks big brother!" and he proceeded to stuff his face. "Thish ish sho good Sheto!" he exclaimed with his mouth full.

Kaiba gave Mokuba a small smile in return and said softly, "Glad you like it."

He picked up his own fork and began to eat.

"Sheto, haf you ever thought about sharing these wif Yugi and friends? They're delishush!" Mokuba said, shoving spoonfuls of quiche into his mouth.

Kaiba paused, "No Mokuba, I haven't thought about that." and he continued to chew thoughtfully.

Well, earlier today while browsing the internet in his spare time, he did see a job listing calling for experienced bakers and cake decorators at a local bakery. 'I'll go take a look at that again,' Kaiba thought to himself.

"Thank you Mokuba, I'll look into it." Kaiba said, nodding.

"What?" said Mokuba, looking confused.

"Nevermind." said Kaiba shaking his head. "You eat. I'll be upstairs, you know where to find me. Knock on my door when you're ready for bed and I'll tuck you in." He gave Mokuba a quick kiss on the forehead and headed into the elevator.

Kaiba eased into his office chair and opened his laptop.

 _Damn,_ he thought to himself, What was the name of that bakery?

Kaiba hummed to himself massaging his temples. "Right. Soleil...Boulangerie...", he said, typing out loud. The webpage loaded and Kaiba was pleasantly surprised. The bakery's colors were mint green with white stripes, and the words 'Soleil Boulangerie, Opening Next Week!' was stamped across the top of the page in large, bold text.

Kaiba scrolled down and found the online application for staffing at the bakery. He clicked on it, and frowned.

"Last name, first name" was the first box he had to fill in. He furrowed his brow even further. This would mean he'd have to fill it out with his real name. That would be a problem.

The media would have a field day, and he would never hear the end of it. He could see the headlines already, "Seto Kaiba, working part time at a small bakery, what a joke."

 _I could fake the name_ , thought Kaiba, _but what about my appearance. I can put down any name I fucking want, but people will recognize me._

Kaiba leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. I can have my stylist deal with that. Kaiba opened his eyes and sat up suddenly, Yes! That is my solution. I can have my stylist deal with that.

He looked at the form and began typing, making shit up as he went.  
'Last name, Mura. First name, Hiroaki. Age, 24. Sex, M. Phone number...', Kaiba continued until he finished the whole form.

He was actually sort of enjoying himself.

 _Bullshitting is fun_ , he thought, _I should do this more often._

Everything on the form was fake except for his age, gender and phone number. Pleased with his progress, Kaiba sat back to admire his handiwork.

All too soon, he heard a knock that was unmistakably from his little brother. "Seto..I'm sleepy." said Mokuba through the door. Kaiba quickly submitted the form without hesitation and closed his laptop. "I'm coming Mokuba."

He strode across the room, opened the door and picked Mokuba up into his arms as he usually did. "Okay kiddo. Bedtime."

He shut the door behind him, and carried a very sleepy Mokuba to his bedroom.

**\- End Intro -**

* * *

 Yami was on his way to his next class when he noticed that the bakery had several people unpacking boxes inside. He decided to be nosy and poked his head in through the door.

"Hi there!" he said. One of the workers looked up and nodded in reply. Yami shuffled his feet and asked, "I was wondering when you will be open?"

"Check the website!" yelled the second worker.

The first worker looked at his partner tiredly and said, "Jeez Ben, you don't have to be so rude." He wiped his brow with his glove and turned towards Yami, "We'll be open by Monday next week, son. I hope you'll come by to see this place when we're done."

He put the glove back on his hand and gave Yami a tiny salute as he bent back down to unpack.

"Thank you." said Yami and he attempted a smile, but then realized that the men weren't paying him any attention.

Slightly embarrassed, he shuffled the weight of his bag to his other shoulder and continued on his way.

* * *

Kaiba was in the middle of writing his weekly reports he received an email notification from Soleil Bolangerie. He held his breath and quickly opened the email, barely remembering to save his progress.

_"Hello Hiroaki,_

_We have received your application here at Soleil Bolangerie and we would love for you to join our team! Please expect a call from our manager later this afternoon. Thank you and have a nice day._

_Regards,_  
 _Soleil Bolangerie Management_ "

Kaiba let out his breath slowly.

 _This is good,_ he thought, _I better not regret this later._

He quickly put it out of his mind and went back to work. Several hours flew by unnoticed and Kaiba was about to go on a coffee break when suddenly, his personal cell phone went off.

Annoyed, Kaiba saw that it was an unknown number. Who the hell is this?

"Hello." Kaiba snapped.

"H-Hello." stuttered a young male's voice from the other end. "I'm Jason, general manager at Soleil Bolangerie. Am I speaking to Hiroaki?"

Kaiba froze for a moment thinking, Who the hell is...and then he remembered he was supposed to be Hiroaki.

Well, shit.

He then pulled himself together quickly and responded with smooth confidence. "Yes, speaking."

A slight pause on the other end, and Kaiba could feel his pulse in his ears.

 _I'm an idiot,_ he berated himself, _Why am I nervous. I'm not sixteen, this isn't my first job, why the hell does this even matter?_

"And is your last name Mura?" the man on the other end continued.

"Yes, it is." Kaiba replied as he scrambled to recall the man's name.

"Well, I am looking at your application here and it says that you've never attended a culinary school or program before. " said the man.

 _His name was Jason, I'm pretty sure_. Kaiba thought. _Ah fuck it, if I get his name wrong so be it._

Kaiba started to speak, "Yes, that is true. I have never attended culinary school, but for me, I am very passionate about my work even though baking is purely a hobby. Self study is one of my strengths."

"Very good." Jason said, "Can you tell me more about what you like to make?"

"Yes of course." Kaiba said, and began to list off a few of his favorite recipes.

"Mmhm." Jason sounded satisfied. "And how flexible would you say your schedule is right now?"

 _Shit shit. I clearly didn't think this through_ , Kaiba pulse began to race.

"Well I..." he paused for a minute to collect his thoughts.

What kind of people work in a bakery? Middle class? Wait, where the hell was this bakery? Across from a university.

So then students must work in this bakery. Students have semi-flexible schedules.

 _Well shit,_ Kaiba ground his teeth, and tapped his fingers on the edge of his desk as his mind spun with panic. _I could technically have a flexible schedule. I just put down some random shit for an address, so it looks like I'll actually have to find an apartment surrounded by university students. Shit._

"Hello? Mr. Mura, are you still with me?" Jason sounded over the phone.

 _Godammit!_ Kaiba was so angry with himself but he willed himself to stay calm.

"My apologies Jason," Kaiba said evenly, "Yes, as you were saying. I am currently a student so my schedule is pretty flexible. I can do early mornings, late nights, and some afternoons. I also live near the bakery, so if I am needed, I can make myself available to you anytime."

 _This better be worth the effort because I am selling so hard right now,_ Kaiba thought furiously.

"That sounds great!" Jason said cheerily. He asked several more probing questions and then said, "Well, Mr. Mura, I have a few more candidates to speak with. I hope you have a wonderful day, and please look forward to an email detailing the results of our interview!"

"Thank you very much!" Kaiba enunciated.

He hung up, feeling very annoyed with himself. His secretary's voice drifted from the intercom, "Mister Kaiba, you have a meeting in 10."

Kaiba pressed the button to reply, "Move it up a day and say whatever you need to to get it done. Also make an appointment with the stylist this week."

"Yes sir." she said quickly, and the speaker went silent.

* * *

 

It was a slow afternoon at the Kame Game shop. It was Yami's turn to man the counter and he was feeling quite sluggish. The door jingled open and Yami yawned as he chanted the customary greeting, "Hello and welcome to Kame Ga-", he stopped mid-sentence, in shock. It was Mokuba.

"Hey there." Yami said, looking at him apprehensively. "Where is your older brother? Does he know you're here?"

Mokuba smiled nervously, "Hey Yami! You always know what to ask. He's at work, and no, he doesn't know I'm here." He looked at Yami through his bangs, "I hope you won't tell him. I'm not sneaking out or anything. I mean, I'm safe here, right?"

"Of course you are! And you are always welcome here!" Yugi exclaimed, suddenly running into the shop from the back, "I thought I heard a familiar voice!"

Yugi glared at Yami over Mokuba's head as he gave him a hug.

Yami shrugged.

 _I wasn't making him feel unwelcome_ , Yami thought, they were just reasonable questions. Yugi always made a big deal out of nothing.

"What's up Mokuba?" Yugi asked excitedly.

"Oh wait till you taste this!" Mokuba said eagerly. "Seto made these yesterday night, so they're still fresh. I think it's the best thing he's ever made so far!"

Yami tilted his head to the side slightly, interest piqued. "He made...? What did he make?"

Mokuba shrugged off his backpack, reached inside and proudly held up a large glass container. "These. Seto thinks I ate them all, but I saved some. They're french pies and they're delicious! Come on, try some!"

Yugi and Yami shared a look.

Yami spoke first, "Do you mean to say that you smuggled them out of your house without him knowing?"

Yugi glared at Yami a second time and said, "That is a horrible way of putting it, and thank you for thinking of us Mokuba. The rest of the gang is inside, so you came at a good time! Let's eat. Come on in!"

Yugi grabbed Mokuba by the arm and led him into the house, giving Yami another pointed look as they left.

Yami sighed as he flipped the 'closed' sign at the door and followed them in.

Mokuba walked into the living room and was greeted with a chorus of, "Heey!" from everyone in the room.

Yami headed towards the cabinets and grabbed a stack of paper plates and plastic forks. "Mokuba brought pies!" Yugi announced as he set the container onto the coffee table and began divvying out the portions onto plates.

"Alright!" Tristan and Joey cheered in unison. Anzu and Serenity looked mildly surprised while Mai just ignored everyone completely, her eyes fixated on the TV.

"Will you clowns tone it down, I'm trying to watch Gossip Girl." said Mai, sounding annoyed.

"Dig in guys!" Yugi said, handing out the plates filled with generous portions of quiche. Joey and Tristan began eating noisily while Anzu and Serenity looked uncertain. "Mokuba," Anzu started, "Did you make these?"

Mokuba beamed at her and said, "No, Seto did, aren't they great?"

Upon hearing this, Joey and Tristan began coughing and spitting violently. "Acth! Ackk...ckk..kkk! WHAT!" they yelled.

Mokuba felt guilt swell up in his stomach. "Well, you do like it, don't you?" he asked desperately. He was regretting this by the second. Seto was going to kill him if he ever found out about this.

"Like it?!" Tristan yelled, "It's fucking delicious! What the hell?"

Anzu, Mai, and Serenity tentatively took their first bites.

"It's good!" Serenity said genuinely, smiling at Mokuba, hoping to diffuse the situation. Anzu and Mai nodded in a agreement, chewing slowly.

Joey was still holding his throat in exaggeration, "It..s..killing...me.."

Yugi turned to Mokuba with his mouthful and said, "Don't worry about those two, trust me, this tastes amazing!"

Mokuba looked visibly upset.

Yami didn't hear any of this as he was lost in thought, _These were made by Seto Kaiba himself huh? We'll see,_ he mused.

He took a bite of his slice and was blown away by the flavor. He slowly closed his eyes to better enjoy the texture. It was delicious. He'd never had anything like it. It was creamy, rich, and very soft. Oh, and the crust was beautiful, it was still flaky and it melted in his mouth.

"Mokuba." said Yami very seriously. "I've never had anything like this before, and I love it."

Mokuba turned towards him, looking as if he was about to cry. "Thank you Yami. I'm glad to hear someone liked it." He opened his mouth to yell at Joey and Tristan for being rude, but then closed it as he realized they'd licked their plates clean.

Yami was watching Mokuba's face very closely. "Would you like us to tell Kaiba in person?" he asked. Mokuba looked startled at the thought. "No! No need. Thank you guys." he said, looking at his toes sheepishly.

Yugi looked around at everyone's empty plates and smiled. "Well thank you Mokuba! We look forward to whatever else you want us to try!" Everyone nodded in agreement.

Mokuba felt his face get warm. "Thank you again you guys," he said softly. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and felt a slight twinge of disappointment.

"Anyway, I'll be going now!" Mokuba said, smiling widely at everyone.

"Already?" Yami said, surprised.

"Yep!" Mokuba responded as he headed for the door. "Bye guys!"

"Bye!" Everyone chorused.

Mokuba rushed out to the car waiting for him at the curb. He took one last look at Kame Game Shop from over his shoulder and smiled to himself.

 _I wish Seto could've been there,_ he thought as he climbed into the backseat.

* * *

_"Hello Hiroaki,_

_We pleased to inform you that your application has been considered thoroughly and we would like to meet you in person. Please arrive at the bakery around 1PM and a manager will let you in through the back, as our storefront is still currently under construction. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you!_

_Sincerely,  
_   
_Soleil Boulangerie Management"_

Kaiba read this email over twice and closed it.

 _Well, I made it through the first screening,_ he thought moodily.

He closed his laptop and stood up. Where the hell was Mokuba?

Kaiba looked down at his phone again and saw that Mokuba had missed his calls twice. That was unusual and worrisome.

Just when Kaiba was about to hit redial, Mokuba burst into his office, breathless and excited.

"Hey big brother!" he panted, "Sorry I missed your calls, I was at the game shop. I probably couldn't hear my phone over everyone's laughter."

Kaiba twitched with annoyance slightly and sat back down.

"Mister Kaiba," his secretary's voice drifted in through the speaker, "You have an appointment with your stylist at 11 am. I have also moved your meeting to Friday, sir."

Mokuba looked at the speaker and then back at his brother. "Stylist? Seto, what's wrong with your hair? I think it looks fine."

Kaiba looked his younger brother in the eye and said, "Mokuba, my hair, my business. Now go."

Mokuba nodded quickly and exited the office.

● Next day ●

Kaiba walked into CC's hair studio and was immediately greeted by Kit, a very flamboyant and openly gay male.

"What's up buttercup?" Kit said in his usual sassy tone. "Setoooo Kaibaa. How are you today, handsome. I'm so sorry about your usual girl, Cecile, she's out. Pregnant. You know, the whole sha-bang. I will be helping you today, and I hope we'll get to know each other." He giggled at Kaiba and motioned him towards an open chair.

Kaiba cursed inwardly and mentally made a note to fire his secretary. He sat down stiffly into Kit's chair and began regretting doing so immediately.

Kit circled around behind Kaiba, gently brushing his fingers through his brown hair. "So, beautiful, what are we doing today?" he asked.

Kaiba tensed and leaned away from Kit's hands. "I would like to keep the style and length. I need to change the color. Something different." he said stiffly.

Kit smiled happily, "Oooooh, you want to change it up, how about a dye job. Blonde? Red?" he looked down at Kaiba for a reaction, "Green?"

Kaiba shut his eyes momentarily, willing himself to keep it together. "Kit, I need to look professional." he said tensely.

"I see I see." Kit mumbled, his eyes darting around Kaiba's face, "Okayyy, then how about...black! It would look great with your skin tone, plus you would look more Asian!"

Black huh, Kaiba thought, I suppose that would work, as opposed to red or blonde, black seems like the tamer choice.

"Black it is." Kaiba said, looking at Kit apprehensively. "Make it temporary."

Kit gasped, "What, temporary? Oh whyyyy.." He rummaged around his cabinets and returned with three bottles.

"Okay Mr. Handsome, I have three types of black here," Kit presented the 3 bottles in his hands. "Exhibit A, Jet Black, which is the blackest black I have. In the harshest light, it could have a slight purple-ish tint, very sexy. Exhibit B, Black Leather. This black is lighter than the first one, only slightly, and in bright light, it could have a dark brown tint. Exhibit C, Charcoal. It's like a super dark brown." Kit tilted his head and pursed his lips at Kaiba. "So which will it be, handsome."

Kaiba sighed. "Kit, I'll take the first one. And did you hear me when I said temporary?"

Kit tsked, "Yes baby, I did. Did you honestly think I only had three bottles of black hair dye? Tsk, I mean. These are the best temporary colors we have, were you looking for a wider selection?"

"This is fine." Kaiba responded curtly. "Elaborate."

Kit raised his eyebrows. "Okay, so. When I say temporary, I mean temporary. Like, this will wash out of your hair in the rain, baby. But only if it's pouring. And for twenty minutes straight."

Kaiba wrinkled his brow as he tried to understand. "You're saying it will wash out in twenty minutes."

"When it pours, baby." Kit nodded.

Kaiba took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "Just, do what you do."

"Okie dokie!" Kit trilled, looking ecstatic. He snapped on some gloves and poured out a thick, black goop. "Listen up handsome, if you want to do this for yourself, you just need 2 large drops of this in your hands."

He dabbed two large puddles of hair dye into his palms and rubbed them together.

"Spread it around, warm it up a bit, and then massage it into your hair. Make sure to run it through your fingers to get it into all of your gorgeous hair."

Kaiba sat there as Kit massaged the product into his hair.

"This is the latest hair technology. I personally love it," Kit continued, "You just leave it in for about 5 minutes and then it sets! Done!" He gestured Kaiba over to the basin.

"This better not stain my clothes." Kaiba said threateningly. He reluctantly leaned his head back into the basin.

"Oh, that's the best part! It'll come right out of your clothes!" Kit exclaimed as he started washing the remnants of the dye out of Kaiba's hair.

Kaiba tried to nod, but then realized he couldn't due to the water pressure pushing his head back.

Kit wrapped his head up in a towel and led him back to the styling chair. "Drying time!" Kit sang.

Kaiba rolled his eyes and shut them, half dreading what he would see in the mirror when he opened them. He felt Kit rigorously ruffling his hair and then, "All done!" Kit said happily, "Do you like it?"

Kaiba slowly opened his eyes, looked straight into the mirror, and received a slight shock. He had never realized how pale he was, until now. His eyes stood out from his face like a pair of glassy, shiny marbles; very bright and very blue. He'd never seen his eyes accentuated this clearly before. He looked alien and there was a strange feeling in his chest.

"I need to do something about my eyes," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. Kit heard this and laughed, "What! No. You look fine like this!"

"No. My eyes need to change." Kaiba shook his head and he watched the alien in the mirror shake his head too.

Kit gave Kaiba a sideways glance that clearly said 'you crazy, ho', but he obliged and pulled up a second cart beside the chair. "Okay theeese are contact lensess." Kit lisped. "Colored. Prescription and otherwise. What color you want."

Kaiba squinted at his reflection, "What color would make me seem the most approachable."

"Hmm," Kit hummed, "Brown. Brown-eyed guys always seem nicer. As opposed as I am to you covering up those blue beauties of yours, I'd say go with brown."

"Brown it is." Kaiba said. Kit placed the solution and lenses onto Kaiba's lap and watched as he leaned forward to put them in.

Kaiba felt the cold lenses touch his eyes and he blinked a few times, getting used to the feeling. He leaned upwards and slowly raised his head to look into the mirror.

"Oh my lord." Kit gasped softly.

Kaiba blinked, and blinked again.

 _Wow, I look like a complete stranger,_ he thought. _My bone structure is the same, but how can I look and feel so incredibly different? I look less authoritative. I'm so pale...._

His thoughts were interrupted by Kit's blubbering, "Oh -hic-, you look...so -hic, so kind. You look like an angel. You look like, someone from heaven came down and touched you..."

"It's just brown contacts." Kaiba growled.

"Hazelnut honey brown, to be specific." Kit beamed."It's got little gold flecks in it if you look closely."

Kaiba leaned in towards the mirror and turned his head from side to side. Yes, at certain points where his eyes caught the light from the side, you could see the gold, but only slightly.

"I'll take these." Kaiba said roughly, leaning back, away from his reflection.

"How many pairs? You know you can only wear these for a week before you need to replace them." Kit said, all matter-of-factly.

"5 bottles of the hair dye, 10 pairs of lenses." Kaiba said, trying really hard not to make eye contact with his reflection.

Kit stared wistfully at Kaiba, "Okay coming right up...oh! I have...a question.." he drawled.

"What." Kaiba growled, untying himself from the barber's cape.

"Are you, like, going through a crisis or something?" Kit asked, looking concerned. "Why you gotta go and change your beautiful self?"

Kaiba scrambled for the closest, most believable lie. "I hate the paparazzi recognizing me when I'm out on personal business. This was the easiest solution I could think of. I need to actually be someone else."

Kit looked slyly at Kaiba, "Personal business eh?" He headed back towards the wall of cabinets, "Well if you really want to sell it...here!" Kit pulled out 2 sets of cologne and placed them in front of Kaiba. "You smell like someone else."

"What the hell." Kaiba stared at Kit. "You're joking."

Kit crossed his arms and tilted his hips to the side suggestively. "I joke about many things Seto Kaiba, but I never joke about the way a man should smell."

Kaiba frowned and reached towards the first bottle. He uncapped it and a powerful smell of wood and something moldy invaded his nostrils. He repressed a gag and quickly recapped it.

Kit was watching him hopefully, "No? " he asked tentatively. "NO." said Kaiba, trying really hard not to breathe.

Kit looked offended but he tried to hide it. "Well take another leap of faith. Please?" he begged.

Kaiba was not in the mood, but he felt like something possessed him to reach out for the second bottle. He uncapped it, and a warm, light scent crept towards him.

Kaiba held the bottle closer to his nose and he took a light breath. It was slightly sweet and smelled like grass after a light rain, but it also had a musky kick towards the end.

Kit smiled knowingly, "Yeaaah, you like that one huh?"

"I'm not much of a cologne person." Kaiba said, feeling conflicted.

Kit laughed loudly. "Oooh you sir, are hilarious!" He pulled out a new bottle from behind the counter, pressed it into Kaiba's hand and winked. "My gift to you." he said.

Kaiba didn't have the energy to refuse, so he just handed over his credit card. Kit wrapped up Kaiba's purchases looking very pleased with himself.

"Sign here." he said in a singsong voice. Kaiba signed the receipt and held out his hand. Kit looked at it, visibly confused. "You want me to kiss your hand, handsome?" he asked suggestively.

Kaiba retracted his hand quickly, regretting his actions.

"I'm joking!" Kit exclaimed, "Of course I'll shake your hand, you sexy businessman." They shook hands quickly and Kaiba headed out the door.

"Call me!" Kit yelled at Kaiba's back. Kaiba pretended he hadn't heard anything and got into his waiting car.

* * *

Author's note:

that was chapter one! <3

love,  
UGLI


	2. Little by little

Kaiba checked his watch as he eased himself into the backseat of his car. 11:45.

That whole appointment took 45 minutes, goddamn, he thought furiously. On the bright side, he looked nothing like himself and had plenty of time before his interview at the bakery.

His driver spoke up suddenly, "Mr. Kaiba, your secretary left you your dry cleaning and a your bag, sir. She asked me to hand it off to you." He reached into the passenger seat and gave Kaiba a large bundle wrapped in plastic.

What the hell, I didn't have any dry cleaning. he thought as he unwrapped the plastic. It was a plain grey V-neck T-shirt, a pair of white jeans, and a brown leather messenger bag with a single strap. The tags were still attached to them and all of them read, 'Armani'. There was a note with his secretary's handwriting at the bottom of the bag. "Mr. Kaiba, an appropriate outfit for your interview. Good luck." it said.

Not bad, thought Kaiba, and he decided that he would not fire her after all. This thoughtfulness made up for being scheduled with Kit. He stuffed the clothes into his new bag.

"Mr. Kaiba, where would you like be dropped off?" his driver asked.

"Three blocks from the university." Kaiba replied promptly. His driver nodded and Kaiba sat back into his seat, lost in his thoughts. I am really doing this, he thought. Should I tell Mokuba? No. He would probably go blabbing to the Yugi gang, but he means well. This is just another interview...

"Mr. Kaiba, we have arrived." his driver said, slowing to a stop by the curb.

Kaiba snapped out of his thoughts and carefully stepped out of the car. He pushed the door shut and watched as the car disappeared around the corner. Everything was strangely quiet. He checked his watch and it said 11:55; it had only been a 10 minute ride. Kaiba was unnerved. Where were the flashing lights, the screaming girls, and the long stares from men? He stood up straight and looked around. People were just passing him by on the street, ignoring him. Kaiba cautiously walked down the street, waiting for someone to accost him, when he suddenly caught a glimpse of himself in a window. Oh my god, Kaiba mentally slapped himself, I am not myself, literally! He studied his reflection again, thinking, I look ridiculous wearing this suit. I must find somewhere to change. Also this brown bag clashes horribly with my business attire.

Kaiba quickly continued down the street and reached the outskirts of campus. There was a bus stop full of people nearby, and Kaiba could feel the heat of their stares. He really needed to get out of his suit. He checked his watch. It read 12:15. Shit, Kaiba thought.

"Um excuse me." Kaiba was approached by a guy wearing an ill-fitting suit. "Hey, I was wondering if you know where the business building is?"

Oh no, please, Kaiba groaned inwardly. "No, I -" Kaiba was cut off by the youth who continued to talk over him. "I'm late too, so I was hoping you'd show me where it is. I think it's over there..?" He gestured towards a clump of buildings in front of them.

At a loss for words, Kaiba just started walking swiftly towards the buildings, looking straight ahead.

"Thanks man," said the youth, sounding relieved.

Kaiba thought he would feel angrier about this, but then realized that he fit in so well, a freshman had just asked him for directions. They walked past several buildings in silence. The youth started talking to him, about something, but Kaiba wasn't hearing any of it. He felt a sort of strange elation he'd never felt before. Is this what it's like to normal?

The youth was still rambling when Kaiba noticed they had walked past a building named 'Branson'.  
Branson, wasn't that the name a famous businessman?

"Hey man, wait up!" cried the youth as Kaiba abruptly turned around to enter the building. "Oh hey, we're here!" He said excitedly, "Thanks dude, you're a lifesaver. My names' Tommy." He held out his hand for Kaiba to shake. Kaiba shook it instinctively. "Whoa, firm grip man." Tommy said, "So I guess I'll see you around, Mr...?" Tommy didn't let go of his hand. Kaiba stiffened. "Mr...?" Tommy was really pushing it. "Kaiba." said Kaiba stiffly through gritted teeth. Tommy doubled over laughing, still shaking Kaiba's hand vigorously, "You're hilarious! Well, okay then "Mr. Kaiba", it was very nice meeting you!" Tommy turned around, still chuckling to himself as climbed up the stairs.

Kaiba was frozen in place. He stayed that way for several seconds before he could pull himself together again. Right, he needed to change. Kaiba walked into the building in search of a bathroom. Thankfully, the bathrooms were right by the entrance. He quickly slipped into one of the stalls and changed. He folded his suit and tucked it into his brown leather bag. On his way out of the bathroom, Kaiba couldn't help but stop in front of the full length mirror to stare at himself again. His jet black hair went really well with his white jeans and the grey, simple v-neck t-shirt. The brown leather messenger bag made him look younger, more unrefined. The most unnerving thing was the pair of soft brown eyes staring back at him in the mirror. Kaiba shook his head in disbelief and headed out.

Yami was on his way to his next class when he noticed a tall, raven haired student staring at a campus map on the billboard. He had very chiseled cheekbones and also appeared to be lost. Yami approached the student from behind and asked, "Hey there, are you perhaps, lost?"

Kaiba slowly turned around, dreading who he was about to see. It was Yugi.

Kaiba cursed inwardly, of course it would be him. Kaiba took a good hard look at Yugi, deciding on what he should say. Wait, this was not Yugi. This Yugi was taller, more commanding, more...mysterious. This had to be the other Yugi. Kaiba swallowed and tried to contain his rage and embarrassment. "No. Not lost." he said, praying he would be left alone. Yami wasn't so easily fooled.

"What building are you looking for?" he asked innocently.

He's trying to be nice, Kaiba realized. Well, I must proceed carefully and act completely out of character. I need to be as different from myself as possible.  
Kaiba cleared his throat and said quietly, "I'm looking for a bakery."

Yami perked up at the mention of the bakery. "Oh! I know where that is! I walk by it every day. Allow me walk you there."

Seto Kaiba would refuse, Kaiba thought, but I am not Seto Kaiba.  
"Please do." Kaiba said, forcing a small smile.

Yami tilted his head indicating the direction they would be heading in, "Follow me this way."

Kaiba nodded and fell into step with Yami.  
Yami felt strangely excited as they walked together across a spacious courtyard. The presence of this stranger felt familiar somehow. Yami kept glancing up at the tall stranger, taking in his dark hair and very pale skin. He probably doesn't get out much, and his family must be well off, Yami noted, he is well dressed, but not in a flashy way.

"Are you new around here?" Yami asked, looking over at Kaiba briefly. Kaiba averted his gaze, feeling somehow if they made eye contact, Yami would recognize him instantly. "Yes." Kaiba replied. "Very new."

Yami smiled gently at him, "Well, feel free to ask me more about anything else on campus. I'd be glad to show you around."

Kaiba felt his insides twist up. I must be very convincing, he thought. "Thank you." Kaiba murmured. He checked his watch and it read 12:30.

"Nice watch." Yami commented. Kaiba cursed himself for his stupidity, again, for not taking off the watch.

"It was a gift." Kaiba lied. "I could never afford a watch like this for myself."  
I could afford 50 of these watches, Kaiba fumed privately.

"I see," Yami said. It seems like he is from a wealthy family that spoils him, Yami concluded.

They continued to walk in silence for while before Kaiba decided it was his turn to ask a nosy question. He looked over at Yami quickly and asked, "So, what are you majoring in?"

"Oh, I haven't decided yet." Yami said simply.

Damn it, Kaiba thought, I'm not being obnoxious enough. "Do you have a favorite color? What kind of music are you into? What about siblings? Do you have any of those?" Kaiba said, almost spitefully.

Yami was taken aback by the sudden interest. "Yes, I..do. I have a brother." he replied, and that was all he said. Kaiba assumed he was talking about Yugi.

Yami stopped at crosswalk and pointed across the street. "Right over there." he announced. Kaiba looked to where he was pointing and realized they had arrived at his destination. Resisting the urge to just walk away, Kaiba forced himself look Yami in the eye to say thanks. Kaiba snuck a glance over at Yami, only to find that he was already staring at him intently. Their eyes met and Kaiba felt his breath catch in his throat. "Well, thank you." Kaiba said awkwardly.

Yami tilted his head the way he always did when something interested him. "You are most welcome." he replied softly, "I'll see you around." He turned around and walked away.

Kaiba felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had somehow managed to get away without introducing himself. He checked his watch again. 12:45. Right on time, he thought, today has been quite eventful. After taking a few moments to rehearse fake identity to himself in his mind, Kaiba walked briskly across the street towards the bakery.

* * *

Yami was late to class, but he didn't care. His mind was full of the tall, raven haired student he had just helped. He was so soft spoken, Yami mused, maybe that's why I felt so comfortable in his company. He was clearly very uncomfortable.

Yami reached the door and he stepped inside the lecture hall, closing the door softly behind him. He chose a seat in the far back and settled in. For the next few minutes, Yami tried to gather his thoughts in order to pay attention, but found it incredibly difficult. The professor was so boring, and his mind kept wandering towards a tall, dark haired individual.

I didn't even get his name, he thought, his eyes were so soft. I hope I'll be able to run into him again. Yami shifted himself in his seat, unable to sit still. In the end, he gave up, packed up his stuff mid-lecture, and exited the hall. He wandered around campus lost in thought; for some reason, his feet led him to the edge of campus, right across from the bakery.

What the hell am I doing here?, he thought to himself as he sat down on one of the benches nearby. He leaned back into the bench and looked up at the trees surrounding the street. Everything is in bloom, it's almost spring, he mused. I should meet some new people. If I ever see him again, I will be sure to ask his name.

Yami pulled out his Notebook and decided he would catch up with the coursework online; it was so beautiful outside, why waste it? He stayed that way for about an hour, reading up on the lecture he missed today. Yami was about to leave when he noticed out of the corner of his eye, someone walking out from behind the bakery. He felt a rush of excitement as realized it was the dark haired student from earlier.

I managed to catch him on his way out, Yami thought, feeling pleased with himself. He quickly organized his things about him, so as to look busy when the stranger walked by.

Kaiba exited the bakery feeling confident he that he'd done well.

Should I tell Mokuba about this now? he thought uncertainly, adjusting the bag strap on his shoulder. He quickly crossed the empty street, still debating in his mind whether or not it was a good idea to tell his younger brother. Kaiba frowned a little. Why was he so hesitant to share this information with his brother? This was all for laughs anyway. Kaiba reached the end of the street and suddenly stopped when he spotted the other Yugi. He was sitting on one of the side benches, looking quite busy, typing away on his laptop.

What the hell, thought Kaiba, was he here the whole time? I thought he had class!  
Kaiba slowed his pace, hoping that if he walked quietly enough, he wouldn't be noticed. The other Yugi chose this moment to look up. Well, shit, Kaiba cursed, Now I have to respond accordingly.

Yami waved him over, "Hi!" He called enthusiastically.

Wow, tone it down, thought Kaiba sarcastically. His feet reluctantly led him over to the bench where Yami was sitting. Yami neatly tucked his Notebook into his bag and stood up gracefully. "So, I never got your name." Yami ventured.

Kaiba held his breath and said quickly, "Hiroaki Mura. But my friends call me Hiro."  
What friends? Kaiba thought angrily, now if he asks about my so-called "friends" I'll have to start making up more names.

Yami smiled and said, "I'm Yami. Nice to meet you!"

Nice to meet you too, you Yugi Imposter, Kaiba thought spitefully. But what came out of his mouth was, "That's a nice name. Good to meet you too." He ended that statement with a small, tight-lipped smile.

Yami took that as a positive thing and said, "Well Mura-san, like I said earlier, I'd love to show you around. So how about we hit up the Brown Bear Cafe on campus?"

Kaiba inwardly cringed at Yami saying his false name and quickly decided to correct it. "Please call me Hiro." Kaiba said, glaring at Yami.

Wow, his eyes are intense, Yami thought. He then paused for a moment and said, "Wait, you want me to call you Hiro? That means we're friends right?"

"Right." Kaiba responded, struggling to keep his face neutral as his blood boiled. He's from the Yugi-gang alright, Kaiba thought furiously, not a second goes by without the word "friendship".

"To the cafe then." Yami said, looking at Kaiba for a response. Kaiba nodded, deeply regretting everything he was about to do, and said, "Show the way."

They set out across campus together, Yami occasionally pointing at buildings and explaining what subjects they corresponded with. Kaiba didn't hear any of it; he was too nervous. Why the hell am I so agitated? thought Kaiba, I wasn't even this agitated for my interview at the bakery.

Yami pointed at another building, and Kaiba nodded stiffly, feeling very uncomfortable. They walked in silence for a bit more until Kaiba decided to ask, "Why are you doing this?"

Yami shrugged casually and said, "I wish someone had done this with me when I was new around here. I didn't attend any of the campus tours. I would've much rather had a friend show me around."

I guess that makes sense, Kaiba thought.

"Oh look, we're here. Brown Bear Cafe. Doesn't everything look nice?" Yami said and stopped in front of a large white building with a front patio. There was outdoor seating, shielded by large overhead umbrellas with bear ears sticking out on top. Kaiba was slightly amused, "The umbrellas are nice."

Yami smiled and agreed, "Everything in this cafe is bear themed."

Upon hearing that, Kaiba felt less amused and more repulsed. Everything is going to be cute. Great.

They entered the cafe and was seated immediately by a waitress wearing all brown, and a headband with a pair of bear ears that matched the ones outside on the umbrellas. "Welcome to the Brown Bear Cafe! I'm Mindy, and I'll be your server today." she chirped,"Here are your menus! Take your time!" she winked at Kaiba and said, "I'll be right back with some water!" She walked away, leaving Kaiba in horrified silence and Yami, not the least bit bothered.

"The girls here are nice," Yami commented as he studied his menu.

"Yes. Very cute." Kaiba said forcefully, composing himself and trying really hard not to sound sarcastic. He opened his menu and almost had an aneurysm. Everything was a horrible bear pun.

A beary cherry sundae are you shitting me?! Kaiba thought deliriously, And what the hell is a 'Grin and Bear it' pasta? It sounds so fucking unappetizing. He was now ultimately regretting coming here at all. Yami looked over and said, "So, Hiro, do you see anything you like?"  
Kaiba shut his menu delicately and said, "I'm not sure, why don't you order for us. I'll go with whatever you like. I'm not that hungry." I'm going to 'grin and bear it', he thought sarcastically.

Their waitress came back with their drinks and pulled out her pen and tab, "So gentlemen, what'll it be?" Yami nodded at her and began to list their orders. "We will have a Beary Green Tea to share, and a Beary Sweet Honey toast, and a side of mini croissants." The waitress nodded, smiled and said happily, "Alrighty, I'll be right back with those for ya!" She turned to go and Kaiba moodliy watched her back as she went. Yami noticed this and said, "You like her?"

Kaiba was startled and then snorted at the question, "What! No. Absolutely not."

Yami raised his eyebrows and said, "Well, you must have a type?"

I know where this conversation is going and I refuse to participate, Kaiba thought angrily, time to change the subject. "I'm just worried about my interview earlier." he lied.

"Interview?" Yami asked, intrigued. "At Soleil Boulangerie?"

"Yes." Kaiba replied simply.

"Ahh..." Yami nodded.

They sat in silence until their waitress came back. "Beary Green Tea for two." She said, carefully placing a teapot with a bear shaped lid onto the table, followed by two bear shaped tea cups with rounded ears on the rim. "Enjoy." she said as she smiled and left.

Kaiba reached for the teapot first, desperate for something to do. "Let me." he said and he poured them both a cup. Yami noticed how long and slender Hiro's fingers were as he gripped the handle of the tea pot. "Your fingers...are nice." Yami said softly, "Do you play an instrument?"  
Kaiba carefully set the tea pot down and said, "No." It's from years and years of typing, he thought bitterly, not that it makes a difference.  
"I see." Yami said, feeling slightly frustrated with the one worded answers he was receiving. He then remembered the questions Hiro had asked him earlier and said, "My favorite color is a very dark violet. I don't really listen to much music, maybe you can recommend something for me?"

"What?" said Kaiba, confused. He then remembered his attempt at obnoxious questions earlier in the day when Yami walked him to the bakery. It was backfiring horribly.

"Tell me more about your brother." Kaiba said, trying to sound earnest.

Yami took a sip of his tea and said slowly, "Well, we're very close. We run a game shop together. Kame Game Shop, maybe you've heard of it. Anyway, you should come by sometime. A lot of my friends like to come by and meet up there to just enjoy each others' company."

Well shit, I've just earned myself an invitation to the dweeb cave, thought Kaiba darkly. This can only get worse. Kaiba nodded again and said, "That sounds nice."

Thankfully, the waitress came back with more of their orders. "Here is your Beary Sweet Honey Toast," she said, setting down a thick square slice of sticky, yellow bread with a bear's face toasted on top, "and your croissants." and she quickly left.

Yami motioned towards the food, "Dig in."  
Kaiba raised his eyebrows in reluctance and said, "After you."  
Yami gave Kaiba a long hard look, "No. After you."  
Kaiba sighed and reached for a croissant. On the outside, he appeared content, but on the inside, Kaiba was pissed. He's fucking with me, he thought furiously.

They continued to eat in silence. Kaiba took a bite of his croissant and felt annoyed when it wasn't as crispy as he liked it. He put on a tight smile and said to Yami, "These are good, but they're not fresh."

Yami nodded and said teasingly, "Yes, you would know. You're a baker after all."

Kaiba was annoyed. "I'll take that as a compliment, thank you." he said stiffly.

Yami laughed deeply and Kaiba felt his chest tighten, "Let me know when you'll be in the bakery. I'll stop by to visit."

Kaiba had never seen Yami laugh like that. This Hiroaki Mura disguise must be very disarming. They ate quietly and Kaiba felt uncomfortable with the silence.

I should say something, he thought, brushing his black hair from his eyes.

"I'm an only child." Kaiba said, looking at Yami with his soft brown eyes, "I was usually quite lonely, so please excuse me if I don't make good conversation at times. It's just that I'm not used to being around people, especially for long periods of time." Well, most of that was true, except for the first statement, Kaiba thought guiltily. Yami seemed genuinely interested, "Well now you have a new friend." he said. Kaiba nodded in agreement, at a loss for words. They finished the rest of their food and tea in silence. This time, Kaiba didn't feel as if the silence was awkward or strange; instead, it was quite pleasant. He was actually enjoying himself a little, despite his surroundings.

The waitress came by with their tab and Kaiba instinctively reached for it, but Yami was quicker. Their hands touched slightly and Kaiba felt a tingling sensation go up his arm. He withdrew his hand quickly and Yami triumphantly grabbed the tab. "I'm paying," He said darkly, "don't even think about it."

Kaiba glowered as Yami busied himself with the tab. He hated owing people money and favors, especially if they were his rivals. But the situation was already unfolding in such a way that there was nothing Kaiba could do, other than say, "Thank you. It will be on me next time."

If there ever is a next time, Kaiba thought spitefully.

They stood up from the table and headed exited the cafe. "Have a beary nice day!" Their waitress called after them. Yami waved at her and Kaiba felt like vomiting.

Standing outside in the spring sunshine, Yami squinted up at Kaiba and said, "Hiro, I hope I'm not wearing you out."

His company actually hasn't been all that bad, thought Kaiba.  
"Not really." Kaiba responded.

Yami smiled mischievously, "Then please join me at the Kame Game shop for the rest of the afternoon. "

Kaiba felt his stomach do a flop. He couldn't refuse, that would be out of character.  
"I would love to" Kaiba choked.

Yami felt a rush of elation. He smiled warmly at Kaiba and tilted his head towards the street. "I'm glad you accept. This way then."

Kaiba nodded at Yami and the two of them set off together across campus, walking side by side.


	3. There is a rising urge

**Chapter 3**

Kaiba stood behind Yami and watched him pat his pockets for the keys. He felt very apprehensive. A pit was forming in his stomach the whole way there, and now that they stood at the door, he felt even worse.

Yami located the keys and opened the door. "Come on in." he said, motioning him towards the shop. Kaiba slowly stepped inside, noting that everything was still the same as he had last seen it several months ago. Yami turned to Kaiba and said, "So Hiro, what do you think?"

Kaiba tried not to flinch at hearing his false name. He glanced around the shop enthusiastically, pretending to be interested and said,"It's very impressive."

Yami nodded, his dark violet eyes firmly fixated on Kaiba's face, watching his every move. Kaiba noticed this and put on his best business smile, "I assume you and your brother manage this shop together?" Yami nodded in response again, eyes still fixed on Kaiba's face. Kaiba felt his face get hot. "What, did I cut myself shaving?" he asked slowly, purposely avoiding eye contact.

Yami lowered his gaze and shook his head slowly, "No. You just...remind me of someone." His voice trailed off and they stood in there in silence for a few moments. Kaiba could feel his heartbeat in his ears as he waited to Yami to say something.

"Anyway!" Yami said suddenly looking alert, "Let's head into the back."  
Kaiba nodded and followed Yami around the counter towards the door at the back of the shop, leading into the Motou residence. Yami opened the door and stepped inside, "Hiro, shoes off please." he said. Kaiba inwardly flinched again as he slid off his shoes.

As Kaiba was stepping into the small hallway, he accidentally brushed up against Yami, roughly bumping him into the wall. _Shit!_ Kaiba thought frantically, "Sorry." he said gruffly. He tried to move out of the way, but then realized that Yami was trapped between his shoulder and the wall. For a moment, Kaiba could feel Yami's warm breath on his arm. He felt Yami's warmth travel all the way up from his arm and into his chest. Yami felt his cheeks get warm as he looked directly into Hiro's soft brown eyes, _We're so close to each other,_ he thought. Kaiba met his gaze and held it there before shifting again nervously.

"Be careful." Yami chuckled, gracefully ducking around behind Kaiba to shut the door. Kaiba looked down and said nothing, trying to compose himself by looking busy adjusting his bag strap. Kaiba was furious. _What the hell was that?!_ , he thought angrily.

"Don't worry too much about it," Yami said coolly, as if reading Kaiba's mind. "Here, come on in." Kaiba nodded and followed Yami into the living room.

 _Everything is neat_ , Kaiba mused, _the open kitchen with the matching dining set makes everything look... wait._ Kaiba spotted a glass container on the kitchen counter and froze. It looked very similar to the one he had put leftover quiches into for Mokuba the other night. It couldn't be... _his_ glass container, could it?

Yami noticed Hiro's attention straying. "This is the first floor," Yami said, straining to make eye contact with him, "Hiro, is something wrong?" Yami saw that Hiro was staring at the kitchen with a strange expression. Kaiba snapped out of his inner monologue and faced Yami with the most charming smile he could muster. "Yes, everything is fine."

Yami was taken aback by the sudden lightness. He mentally took a snapshot of Hiro's smile and tucked it away in his mind for later. "So, second floor is this way." Yami said, heading towards the back of the living room, motioning towards a staircase. Kaiba raised his eyebrows at Yami, "Up?" he asked innocently.  
Yami felt himself blush slightly, "Yes. Why not." Yami headed up the stairs and Kaiba followed him closely from behind.

Yami felt his nerves get worsen with each step. _He's a complete stranger!_ Yami thought, _I met him today! I barely remember his last name and I'm inviting him up? What the hell is wrong with me?!_

Meanwhile, Yami's ass was right in Kaiba's face, and Kaiba couldn't help but smirk and admire the view. _This is hilarious,_ Kaiba thought, _if only he knew who I actually was, he would be mortified._ Kaiba briefly entertained the thought of an embarrassed Yami, blushing and yelling angrily at him to look away.

They reached the top of the stairs and Yami headed for the farthest room down the hall. All the doors to the other rooms were closed. "This is my room." Yami said, beckoning him towards the room. Kaiba walked up to the doorway swiftly and looked inside. It was a well-lit, warmly furnished room with a sloping roof. There was a medium sized desk that had several stacks of Duel Monster cards on it and a large bookshelf.

 _Hmph. Nothing special, as expected, but there's no bed. How strange._ thought Kaiba. Yami looked anxiously at Hiro and said, "What?"

Kaiba furrowed his brow and asked, "Where is your bed?"

"Oh," Yami let out his breath nervously, "The beds are next door in my brother's room. We prefer to sleep together." Kaiba nodded stiffly.

Yami made eye contact with Hiro briefly and then quickly looked away, blushing slightly. "So, seen enough?" Yami asked hopefully.

"Yes.", Kaiba answered quietly. Yami closed the door to his bedroom and headed back down the stairs. Kaiba followed, thinking desperately of an excuse that would allow him to leave without sounding rude. They reached the bottom of the stairs and before Kaiba could even open his mouth to say anything, Yami sat down on one of the couches in front of the TV and patted the spot next to him.

"Hiro," Yami said with a slight smile, "Come. Sit." He patted the seat next to him again.

Kaiba just stood there. _No_. _No. No. !_ Kaiba thought furiously.  
"I can't, I...have to go." Kaiba said lamely.  
Yami felt a pang of disappointment. "Oh. I see." Yami was clearly upset and Kaiba felt slightly guilty for shooting down the request so quickly without reason.

 _I need to be convincing, think of an excuse you idiot!_ Kaiba berated himself. _I'll mention the bakery again._

"Well," Kaiba started, "I could stay longer, but only for a bit, because I have to be up early to prepare pastries for the bakery tomorrow. We're doing some test batches."

Yami sat up straight, "Really?! That's great! I promise I won't keep you long."  
Kaiba breathed a small sigh of relief. Imposter Yugi had bought his stupid bakery lie.  
_I'll stay for about 10 minutes and then bail,_ Kaiba promised himself.

He walked over to the couch, feeling his heartbeat get louder with each step. He cautiously sat down beside Yami.

Yami was busy with the remote, searching for something to watch. Kaiba stared at Yami's graceful, long fingers as he tapped the remote rhythmically. He let his eyes wander up past Yami's arm and towards his face.

 _I've never been up this close to him before_ , Kaiba realized. Yami was still switching channels around and hadn't noticed Kaiba's intense staring.

 _His features are actually quite delicate,_ Kaiba continued to muse. _Seeing Imposter Yugi up this close feels ...strange._ Kaiba unconsciously leaned closer towards Yami, studying him closely. _Actually, come to think of it, he looks nothing like Yugi. His features are sharper than Yugi's. His che_ _ekbones frame his eyes quite nicely and his skin, it looks soft..._

Kaiba leaned in even closer. It was like he couldn't see enough of Yami from this angle. He needed to see more. _Imposter Yugi needs to turn around and face me dammit_ , Kaiba thought, annoyed.

Yami stomach did a nervous flip as he felt Hiro lean in closer towards him. _He's leaning in quite a bit, is he falling asleep?_ Yami thought. He turned his head to look over and found himself nose-to-nose with Hiro.

"Wh-" Yami froze, too stunned for words. Hiro's deep brown eyes were burning right through him, making him feel strangely hot all over. Yami struggled to say something, "Hey, so I was wondering...what..you...-" His breath hitched in his throat and he couldn't finish the sentence. _Our faces are so impossibly close!_ _Our noses are practically touching!_ Yami thought frantically, his breath quickening with each passing second. _This can't be happening._

Kaiba blinked slowly, drinking in the sight of Yami, who's cheeks were tinged pink with blush.

 _What the hell is wrong with him?_ Kaiba thought, his chest throbbing painfully. _Why is he acting strangely._ _Did he figure it out? That must be it! He knows! He knows I'm Seto Kaiba. That's why he looks so agitated._

Kaiba lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes in defeat, waiting for his rival to explode at him. All he could do was repeat the phrase, " _he knows, he knows!"_ , over and over in his head.

Yami was taking light, gasping breaths, trying to hide his nervousness. _He's closed his eyes?! What does he want?!_ _Does he want me...to ...but I can't!_ _Can I?_  
  
After debating for a few seconds, Yami's curiosity got the better of him. _What is meant to happen will happen_ , Yami thought and he threw caution to the wind. He closed his eyes and gently pushed his forehead up against Hiro's, nudging his head upwards, his spiky blond bangs meshing with Hiro's jet black hair.

Kaiba's eyes shot open as he felt a warm breath on his forehead. Yami's lips were hovering just above the bridge of his nose. _What the...?_  
  
Kaiba tried to move back but found himself tilting his head upwards instead. His nose brushed past Yami's and their lips met, ever so gently.

Yami felt his brain hum and shut off as he inhaled Hiro's strange, sweet scent. Somewhere in the back of his head, a voice was telling him he was kissing a stranger he had just met today. But everything was so warm. Hiro's lips...were soft. And he smelled so musky and delicious. Yami could feel Hiro's light stubble pressing gently against his chin. That feeling alone made his pants grow tight and uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Kaiba felt the floor dip down violently from beneath him and the room swam before his eyes. Frantic thoughts ran through his head. _Kissing. I am kissing Imposter Yugi_. _Our mouths are touching. I have surely gone insane...! This feels strange. This is wrong! We're two grown-ass men...but I_ _feel.. -_

Kaiba's thoughts were interrupted by faint voices in the hallway by the door. He blinked wildly, unsure of what to do, as Yami's eyes were still closed. He could hear laughter and the voices getting louder and louder.

 _How is he not hearing this?!_ Kaiba fumed silently _._  
  
And then there was a faint _click_.

 _Did I just hear the lock click open?!_ Kaiba panicked and jerked his head back suddenly, causing Yami to stiffen at the sudden loss of contact. And at that, the front door banged opened and the Yugi-gang spilled into the room, talking and laughing excitedly.

"Dude, you should've seen his face when he the ball hit him in the leg!" Joey exclaimed, and the whole group laughed.

 _Shit,_ thought Kaiba, and he willed himself to remain passive. _They're too busy joking around._ _There's no way they would've seen us._

Yami stood up shakily and composed himself quickly.  
"Oh hey Yami! Who's your friend?" asked Yugi with a big smile. Everyone went silent and looked towards the couch.

"Everyone, this is Hiro." Yami announced, gesturing for Kaiba to stand up, "I met him on campus. We were...getting to know each other."

Kaiba stood up to face the Yugi-gang. Hovering around at the front of the group, was Mokuba. Kaiba's mouth went dry and he felt as if a bolt of lightning struck him where he stood. _I'm busted,_ he thought _, My cover is blown_. _If Mokuba doesn't recognize me first, Wheeler surely will._ Kaiba could literally feel his skin sliding off of his face at the heat of everyone's stares.

"Go on, say something. They don't bite." Yami said, smiling a little.

 _I must be confident!_ Kaiba thought viciously. _If I believe in what I'm saying, they will believe it too._ _ _Stay in character!__

"H-Hi everyone. My name is Hiro. Nice to meet you." said Kaiba quietly, his voice trailing off at the end.

"Hey hey, ya don't gotta be shy 'round us guys! Nice to meet ya, I'm Joey!" Joey held out his hand enthusiastically. Kaiba shook it firmly and looked Joey straight in the eye, searching for signs of recognition in his face, but found none. Joey was grinning at him in his usual stupid fashion.

 _They fell for it?_ Kaiba thought hopefully, trying to maintain a neutral expression.

"Welcome dude!" Tristan said loudly, "Now who's hungry?!"

A chorus of "Ooh me's" rippled through the group. Mokuba spoke up, "Hey guys, remember the pies I brought last time?"

Kaiba froze upon hearing this. _Pies?! He brought my quiches here?!_

Everyone nodded. "Well," Mokuba continued, "Seto made some cookies last night! They're seashell shaped and they taste amazing!" The Yugi gang made noises of approval.

Kaiba couldn't help but ask, "Seto?"

Mokuba looked directly at him and said, "Seto is my older brother. You should try them too New Guy, you'll be blown away!"

 _New guy?!_ Kaiba could not believe what he was hearing. His little brother was sharing his precious creations with this group of morons? And on top of that, he didn't recognize him! Kaiba was now starting to feel unnerved.

The Yugi-gang gathered around the dining table. They _ooh_ -ed and _ahhh-_ ed as Mokuba pulled out a glass container filled with Kaiba's Madeline cookies.

"I'll get the plates!" Anzu sang.  
"And I'll get the napkins!" Serenity added.  
Everyone else was milling around the kitchen, chatting happily.

Kaiba watched the scene unfold with disbelief. Yami nodded in his direction and said, "Let's join them. Any questions so far, Hiro?"

Kaiba felt his eye twitch involuntarily, "No questions, I think I need to leave now."

"Awwwh!" Mokuba groaned, "But you _have_ to try one before you leave!"  
A chorus of "yea"s echoed around the kitchen. Kaiba was trapped with no way out.

"Thank you, but I've had those cookies before." Kaiba said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Yea," Mai nodded, "I'm sure. But it's not every day you get to eat some cookies made by Seto Kaiba himself, hm?"

 _Act surprised. Stay in character._ Kaiba steeled himself to face Mai, "Wow! You're not joking, are you?" _That sounded way too sarcastic,_ Kaiba thought, bracing himself.

Mokuba turned towards him with a proud huff, "Nope! It's the truth! I am Mokuba Kaiba. And my big brother makes the best cookies you'll ever eat!"

Kaiba tried to suppress a look of pride. "I see. Nice to meet you, young Mr. Kaiba. I will be staying for some of those amazing cookies you speak of."

Yugi walked over and handed him a cookie, arranged nicely on a small plate with a napkin beneath it. Kaiba took it and thanked him. Yugi smiled a glowing smile at Kaiba and said, "Eat up!"

Kaiba dipped his head down and took a bite. He could feel Mokuba watching him closely. He lifted his head and smiled genuinely, "Hey, this is really good!"

No one was paying him any attention. Yami had left his side and was leaning over the kitchen counter pouring out a few glasses of water. They were all too busy stuffing their faces. Kaiba didn't know how to feel. He felt a strange pang of...something, bubble up in his chest. He quickly finished his cookie, set his plate down loudly, and picked up his bag, trying to make as much noise as possible. Everyone noticed and looked up.

"Leavhing sho shoon?" Tristan asked with his mouth full, spraying cookie crumbs everywhere.

"Ew Tristan, gross!" Anzu cried.

Kaiba smiled a, what he hoped was, a gentle smile, "Yea. I've got early hours tomorrow. It was nice meeting everyone."

Everyone looked slightly confused. Yami spoke up, "Hiro is employed at that new bakery opening across campus next week. He needs to be there early to make test pastries."

"Ooohh!" Serenity squealed, "Please let us know when that will be! The decor inside that bakery is so adorable!"

Kaiba felt his throat close up. _Great, now the whole dweeb gang will be there on opening week._ "Yes, I will definitely keep you all updated." he said, and he moved towards the door.

"Wait! I'll walk you out." Yami said, hurrying towards him.

Kaiba bobbed his head stiffly towards the Yugi-gang, "Thank you. Goodbye."  
"Byye!" Everyone yelled, not even glancing in his direction.

Kaiba hurried towards the exit in the hallway. Yami had already gone out and had left the door open. Kaiba quickly slipped on his shoes and walked through the shop to the very front where Yami stood waiting for him.

"So..." Yami ducked his head shyly. "I will see you around?"

Kaiba nodded. "Yes. Around." He slid past Yami and exited the shop.

"Wait!" Yami's voice rang out behind him. Kaiba felt his insides clench up again.

"Yes?" Kaiba asked, without turning around.

"How can I contact you?" asked Yami, sounding slightly out of breath.

Kaiba closed his eyes for a solid 3 seconds. _Good lord in heaven, I might have to give him my phone number._ _Wait. No. I can find a way around this._

Kaiba turned around to face Yami, "Same time same place tomorrow? I should be done with my morning shift by noon." _And with any luck I'll be dead by then_ , he thought viciously.

Yami tilted his head and nodded slowly. "I will see you then." He smiled softly and gently closed the shop door.

Kaiba waited for a bit to see if Yami would open the door again. _Was it over?_ Nothing happned so he turned his heel and started to walk brusquely down the street. He reached a street corner and walked into a deserted alley way. Kaiba took a deep breath in, held it, and leaned his back against the dirty brick wall. He was shaking from head to toe.

 _Mokuba didn't recognize me!_ _No one recognized me!_ Kaiba screamed inside his head, _and_ _I was kissed by Imposter Yugi! Or did I kiss him?! I don't know!_

His breathing was ragged and erratic. _I need to get out of here. I need to think! I can't tell Mokuba now. I can't tell anyone! Perhaps I should disappear. Hiro should disappear. No! I've worked too hard and gotten too far!_

Kaiba spun and around and punched the brick wall. He felt his skin scrape the stone and start to sting. _I will see this bakery job through to the end, obstacles are just obstacles. I can and will overcome this, just like anything else._

Kaiba took another deep breath and let it out slowly. _Okay. Hiro's story needs to be air tight and Seto Kaiba's story also needs to be air tight. Much planning needs to be done. If I play my cards right, Hiro can eventually disappear after working a few months at the bakery._

Kaiba reached for his phone, but paused as he came to a shattering realization. Hiro was a complete stranger to the Yugi-gang, and has a clean slate. That meant he could re-forge friendships and correctly adjust any misconceptions the Yugi-gang ever had of him. Kaiba leaned his head back against the wall. This could be fun, but it could also be excruciatingly painful. Was that why Yami had kissed him?

 _Since when was Imposter Yugi gay?_ Kaiba shook his head quickly, dismissing the images that rose to the front of his mind. He took out his phone and dialed for his car to pick him up around the corner. He will think about that later.


	4. I want to see you more than anyone else

_Bzzzt. Bzzzt. ...Bzzzt. ...Bzzzt!_  
  
Kaiba slowly lifted his eyelids as light crept in from the corners of his vision. He shut off the alarm and roused himself groggily. The events of last night began to drift back into his mind. The Yugi-gang smiling at him from the dining table, Imposter Yugi's face, impossibly close to his, while sitting on the couch at the dweeb cave, everyone acting as if Seto Kaiba wasn't sitting among them...Kaiba shut his eyes tightly, willing his mind to go blank.

There was a soft knock on his door. "Come in." he said automatically.  
Mokuba sleepily poked his head in through the door, "Seto...I woke up too early, and I didn't sleep well..."  
Kaiba lifted the sheets beside him and patted the spot next to him, "You can sleep here while I get ready for the bake-...work," he caught himself just in time. Thankfully, Mokuba wasn't listening.

Mokuba got settled into his bed."Seto, I hope it's okay that I shared some of your pie with Yugi...and friends." he said, yawing widely.

 _Yeah, I was there,_ Kaiba thought, feeling an uncomfortable twinge in his chest as he remembered Mokuba calling him "New Guy."

"I hope they liked it." he responded gruffly. Mokuba nodded sleepily, his head already buried underneath the covers. Kaiba smiled gently down at Mokuba, pushed the covers back a little, and kissed his forehead.

Kaiba furrowed his brow in annoyance as he checked the time. _4:45?_ _Wow, it is early for Mokuba to be up. And I'm going to be late for opening-prep at the bakery._

He glanced at his closet and then realized, _Shit! I don't have any other clothes that won't make me look like a freak from the Debate Club on campus. And I can't wear the same shit from yesterday, that would be a fucking embarrassment to my name!_

He sat down at his desk and quickly made a call to his secretary's personal phone. It rung through to voicemail. He felt a mixture of anxiety and panic bubble up from his stomach. He hit re-dial. It rung once, twice, three times, and at the fifth ring, he heard his secretary's voice stammer through the phone. "O-HH! H-hello! Good morning Mr. Kaiba..ah!"

 _Oh thank god_ , Kaiba thought, and said quickly, "Hey. I know it's early but I'm calling about the clothes."

"Mr. Kaiba, I knew you would like them! I left you 2 extra sets of shirts with denim jeans in the backseat of your limo for today!" She sounded genuinely happy about it. Kaiba felt relief wash over him, "Thank you."

"And before you hang up, Mr. Kaiba," she continued, "I don't know if you'd like for me to keep shopping for you, or if you would rather expand this casual wardrobe yourself?"

"I can take care of the rest myself." Kaiba replied stiffly, "You've done really well. I need two more things from you. 1, a burner phone, preferably an older model of the phone I have now; register with a different phone number. And 2, search for empty, or fully furnished apartments around the university. No roommates. Get that old phone on my desk by this afternoon before 4PM and email me your top 5 apartment options by the end of today. "

"No problem Mr. Kaiba!" she chirped.

"Your hard work is greatly appreciated." Kaiba said. He hung up and walked quickly into the bathroom, mentally preparing himself for his cosmetic transformation into Hiro The College Student.

He was feeling very apprehensive about applying the hair dye himself, unprofessionally, for the first time. _What did Kit say? 2 large drops?_

Kaiba slid on a pair of disposable gloves and heaped the black goop into his palms. He looked himself in the mirror one last time, gritted his teeth, and started running his dye-filled palms through his hair. _I look ridiculous,_ Kaiba thought as he looked at the black matted, tangled, mess that was his hair. He stepped into the shower to rinse and got out quickly.

As he was towel drying his hair, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that the dye did not have any run-off color, therefore keeping his towel free of all suspicious black stains. He grabbed the hair dryer and styled his hair as usual. Kaiba turned his head left and right in the mirror to examine his handiwork. _Good, it seems I was thorough enough, my brown roots are all covered._ _So far so good, now for the contacts._

Kaiba carefully arranged the contacts on the counter and expertly placed them into his eyes. He blinked several times, feeling the lenses settle into place.

 _All done!_ Kaiba crowed triumphantly to himself. _I'll never get used to this_ , he thought as he stared at his reflection with disbelief. _Wait, the cologne! I almost forgot!_

Kaiba ran out of the bathroom and grabbed his brown shoulder bag from inside his closet. He felt around for the cologne Kit had gifted him with yesterday. He gripped the slender glass jar and spritzed himself quickly, twice around the neck.

He walked back into the bathroom and quietly stowed the cologne away on the highest shelf of the cabinet, along with the bottles of hair dye. Kaiba made sure to move two larger bottles of shampoo to the front, blocking them from view. _That ought to do it, no one should be nosy enough to go digging around back here,_ Kaiba thought, feeling satisfied.

He headed for the door. Kaiba grabbed his coat, took one last look at the sleeping Mokuba, and headed downstairs where his driver was waiting.

* * *

Yami rolled over in his bed and stared at the ceiling, watching the morning light filter in in strips through the blinds. He glanced at the clock, it read 5:30 am. _Ugh, too early._ He shut his eyes and sighed. It's was no use. Sleep eluded him. He kept picturing Hiro's face with his eyes closed and his black bangs brushed messily across his forehead... _What if he had brown hair?_ Yami mused. _He would look like Seto Kaiba...almost. Except Seto Kaiba always smelled like strong coffee._

Yami sighed and pictured Kaiba brushing past him, followed by the overwhelming scent of brewing coffee. He took a deep breath, remembering the smell. _Mmmmm, Y_ ami sighed and snuggled deeper into his bed. _Come to think of it, Hiro has a strange smell too! What was it..._ He took a another deep breath, trying to mentally re-create Hiro's scent from the couch. Nothing.

 _I need to smell it again_ , Yami thought, feeling extremely frustrated. He opened his eyes. _What if the couch still smelled like him?_ Yami sat up suddenly. It was worth a shot. He got up quietly, being careful not to wake Yugi, and tiptoed downstairs towards the couch.

Yami glanced around the dark living room, feeling very floaty and nervous. _What the hell am I doing down here at 5 in the morning?_

He sat down quickly on his side of the couch. The cushions made a loud _pof!,_ giving Yami a fright. He exhaled, frustrated with himself. _I'm so jumpy. I'm just here to investigate._ He leaned towards the cushion beside his, and tentatively sniffed. It smelled like leather. Yami was slightly disappointed. _Wait!_ He quickly re-created the scene in his head. Hiro was sitting closer to him than he originally remembered! Yami slid back a couple inches and sniffed again. _Ah! There it was! It's faint, but still there._ Yami took a deeper breath, the smell of leather mixed in with the musk was intoxicating.

Yami rested his head against the cushion, breathing in and out slowly, trying to fill his lungs with the scent as much as possible. He felt himself become aroused. Yami closed his eyes, imagining Hiro's lips, touching his softly.

He lightly pressed his hand against his groin, feeling himself become even harder at the thought. _This is not my hand, this is Hiro's hand_ , Yami thought. He reached his hand inside his pants and rested it lightly over his erect member.  
_Hiro's leaning closer, his hair brushing against my forehead,_ Yami took a deeper breath, pressing his face into the leather, desperately seeking more of the scent.

_Hiro is... pressing his lips harder against mine, his tongue slipping erotically in and out of my mouth, Hiro's hands running down my hips, reaching into my pants, grabbing..._

Yami gripped his penis firmly by the shaft and used his thumb to encircle the tip. _Hiro gently rubbed his warm hand against my tip in small, delicate circles..it's driving me crazy. More. ..more..  
_

Hiro's face suddenly shifted into Kaiba's face. _Cold, piercing blue eyes staring right through him, making him shiver..."You want to cum..?" Kaiba said i _n his usual condescending voice. He was__ slowly rubbing Yami's shaft slowly...up and down, too slowly... up...and down...  
Yes, Yami whispered, his eyes tearing up slightly from the strain.  
Kaiba snickered, "Ha. Say please.."  
Yami's _cock was hard and leaking already, standing up at attention_. _Kaiba wrapped his fingers gently around the base and ran his palm upward until the head disappeared into his hand. Yami shuddered and clenched his teeth with pleasure._  
"Say. Please." Kaiba sneered.  
"Please!" Yami grunted through gritted teeth.  
Kaiba's sneering face shifted back to Hiro's face, smiling gently, "Of course..." His soft spoken voice drifted through Yami's entire being. Yami stroked himself faster and faster, bringing his palm up to encircle his tip and then back down again. His breathing became erratic, each pump of his cock eliciting full body shudders with every stroke, faster, and faster, until he climaxed into his own palm.

Yami opened his eyes and felt dizzy, his ears ringing. He leaned back into the couch, feeling a warm wave of pleasure course through his body.

Yami slowly lifted his hand out of his pants, trembling from the residual shocks of pleasure.  
He got up and went to wash his hands at the kitchen sink. The warm feeling quickly disappeared along with his semen down the drain.

Yami felt a wave of confusion and guilt settle over him. He dried his hands on a kitchen towel and made his way back upstairs to his bedroom.

Yami peeked inside and saw that Yugi was still sleeping peacefully. He let out a little sigh of relief and got back into his bed.

 _Oh god. What did I just do?_ Yami inwardly groaned. Yami stared at the sleeping Yugi, hypnotized by the even rise and fall of the covers. Yami turned over in his bed, _D_ _oes this mean I wish Hiro was Kaiba? Or...rather, wishing that Kaiba had Hiro's personality?_ He turned over again and stared at his ceiling, the light shining in was extremely bright now. He checked the time; it was 6 AM exactly. Yami sighed and rolled himself out of bed _. I might as well get dressed and head out_ , he resolved. He went over to his closet to grab his clothes.

Suddenly, Yami heard movement in the bed across from him.

"Mmmfg?" Yugi raised his head sleepily.

Yami blinked, "What is it?"

"Mmmmm, did you say somethhin?" Yugi slurred.

Yami frowned, "No, I didn't. I'm heading out to class. Be well, Yugi."

"Mhmokay. I'll see you on campus later." Yugi mumbled and turned back over in his bed. Yami kept his gaze on the sleeping Yugi for a few minutes, then he grabbed his bag and stepped out of the bedroom softly closing the door behind him.

* * *

Kaiba stood in the alleyway behind the bakery feeling extremely apprehensive. The golden plaque on the door read "Employee Entrance Only" in a swirly, dark chocolate font.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself as he raised a fist to knock, but before he could, the door opened suddenly and he was greeted by an energetic blond haired man with a ten-thousand watt smile.

"Hi there! You must be, uh...the new hire! I'm Jason! So nice to meet you! I own this place, c'mon in!" He opened the door widely, allowing Kaiba a wide berth to step inside the kitchen area.

"Treat this place like your new home!" Jason said, looking proudly around at the glistening kitchenware and counter tops that surrounded them.  
"Anything and everything you do in your own kitchen is welcome here in mine!" He glanced at Kaiba and then added, "Well, as long as it's sanitary. You know the rules." he winked and headed towards the front of the store. "I'll grab us some aprons! They arrived in shipment this morning! Boxes are all still piled up by the door, come give me a hand!"

Kaiba stood in stunned silence as he watched Jason disappear though the plastic kitchen flap-doors.

 _Oh. My. Fucking. God._ Kaiba ruffled his hair in frustration. _Okay, keep it together, keep it. together_ , he chanted to himself. _My name is Hiro, I fucking love to bake, and this is going to be...fun._ Kaiba took a deep breath and composed himself.

"Yo! Heavy shit over here!" Jason yelled from the storefront. Kaiba rushed out of the kitchen, brushing his black hair away from his eyes. "I'm here."

"Awesome. Grab that side, let's move this huge-ass box away from the door, and up against the wall over there." Jason said, straining under the weight. Kaiba firmly gripped his side of the box and lifted upwards in one smooth motion. "Whoa! Holy fff-" Jason huffed, "You lift weights?"

"No. Lift with your back, not your knees." Kaiba replied stiffly, carefully walking backwards, avoiding the other boxes.

"Got it." Jason said, thumping his side down heavily. "One down! A million left to go."

Kaiba set his side of the box down gently and straightened up, getting his first proper look around the bakery for the first time.

Enormous boxes were scattered over every inch of the floor. There was no furniture except for two, long, pearly white, bar-height counters that were built into the walls, or were they shelves? Kaiba couldn't be sure.

The walls were painted a calming, minty green with thick white stripes. The checkout counter was a large L-shaped white marble enclosure. The curved glass displays for pastries were lined with gold chrome. Gigantic screens for displaying the menu hung vertically behind the cash registers. Behind the registers was a long bar of espresso and smoothie machines.

"It's pretty..." Kaiba commented casually.

"I love the pastry displays." Jason replied, "I dig the gold chrome. I thought it would be tacky, but uh...it works!"

Jason started cutting open the box they had carried over.

"Hey, what else are in these boxes?" Kaiba asked, although he already had a feeling he knew.

"Oh! This box," Jason said enthusiastically reaching in, "has our aprons! Check this out! Catch!"

A blur of cloth caught Kaiba full in the face and dropped to the floor. Jason laughed loudly in amusement as a Kaiba slowly bent down to pick up the apron; it was mint green with thin brown stripes. A pocket was sewn into the lower left side. Secretly dying inside, Kaiba tied the apron around his neck and waist, resigning himself to liking the apron.

Jason had already put his apron on and was circling the other packages, a boxer knife in his hand. "Let's open this box! They look like they contain chairs." He got busy cutting open the box and pulled out several long, chrome poles. "Ah they look like bar stools!" Jason exclaimed.

"Nice." Kaiba said simply, helping Jason carefully remove them from the bubble wrap.

Time flew by as the two men got busy building and unpacking all the furniture. They built several more chairs and two large tables. Before long, Kaiba was beginning to feel hungry. He looked at his wrist to check his watch, but then realized he had deliberately left it on his desk. Cursing inwardly to himself, he glanced up to look at the clock, and realized there wasn't one.

"Hey Jason." Kaiba said, trying not to sound irritated. "What time it is?"

Jason pulled his head out from under the plush seating he was assembling, "Oh shit! We totally forgot to take some breaks! Ah let's see..." He glanced at his watch and said, "Well, it's 8:30, which would normally be breakfast time for some people, but for us, I'd say we can take our lunches around 10am."

Kaiba nodded.

"Here, why don't you..." Jason reached into another box and threw a bottled water towards Kaiba. " Take a 20 minute break, and I'll take one when you get back."

Kaiba caught the bottle roughly and said, "Thanks." Wasting no time at all, he tugged off his apron, left it on the counter and hastily walked through the back of the kitchen. _Ugh I'm so tired from opening all those boxes. I need some goddamn fresh air,_ Kaiba thought moodily.

He walked out from the bakery's back alleyway and across the street, settling himself into one of the benches on the edge of campus. Kaiba cracked open his bottled water and took a swig. It was a light, sunny spring morning and all the flower trees were in full bloom. A light wind brought their sweet flowery scent drifting past him peacefully.

 _I can see why Imposter Yugi likes sitting here,_ Kaiba noted as he shut his eyes and leaned back into the bench, his muscles aching.

He heard footsteps approaching. _Is it Imposter Yugi?_ Kaiba thought excitedly. _Wait, why do I care._  
He forced himself to calm down. __  


The footsteps were getting closer, and they were slowing down. The images from the kiss he received from Yami yesterday afternoon flashed unwittingly before his closed lids. Kaiba tensed and willed himself to keep his eyes shut; his heartbeat sped up as the footsteps came to a stop right by the bench.

 _If it is Imposter Yugi, embarrass him as much as possible for that kiss,_ thought Kaiba, feeling slightly apprehensive, _but...that would be completely out of character, so what the fuck do I even say?!_

Yami stood right by the bench, staring at Hiro, feeling mesmerized. He tried to stamp every detail he saw before him permanently into his mind. Hiro's eyes were closed, his head was leaned back, exposing his pale, slender neck. His sleek black hair glinted with a slight tinge of purple in the bright sunlight. A bottle of water hung precariously from his delicate fingers and his long legs were crossed in front of him casually.

 _He's resting, should I bother him? Y_ ami thought nervously. But then he noticed how tightly Hiro was gripping his bottle of water.

"Good morning Hiro." Yami said tentatively.

 _There it is_ , Kaiba thought. _Of course it would be Imposter Yugi. How could it be anyone else._

Kaiba opened his eyes and slowly lifted his head to look directly into Yami's deep violet eyes. "Good morning."

Yami felt himself heat up as their eyes met and instantly averted his gaze. "Yes...do you mind if I join you on this bench?"

 _Yes, Yes I do mind! Don't you have class?!_ Kaiba thought fiercely. But he forced a tight lipped smile and what came out of his mouth was, "No not at all. I am in your spot after all."

Yami felt his stomach do a flip-flop and he chuckled nervously. "Ha...What do you mean my spot? This is a public bench!" _This Hiro guy sure is observant,_ Yami made a note to himself to be more careful.

Kaiba snorted lightly, "Yeah, no. It's your spot. You're always here, why not just call it your own?" He moved over to make room for Yami on the bench.

"Fair enough." Yami said and he sat down gently.

Yami tensed as he felt Hiro's eyes follow his legs as he crossed them. Kaiba felt his heart rate increase as he watched Yami slide one leg over the other.

Yami smirked and looked over at Hiro, "Like what you see?" he teased.

Kaiba clenched his jaw and gripped his water bottle so hard the plastic crackled.  
Yami saw this and laughed deeply, "I'll take that as a yes."

 _Why is he flirting with me?!_ Kaiba screamed internally. _And why am I reacting?!_

 _"_ So how's your morning going?" Yami asked casually, his eyes lingering on Hiro's face. _  
_

"Good." Kaiba responded gruffly, taking a swig of his water. Anything to avoid a proper conversation.

Yami glanced across the street and tilted his head towards the bakery, "What's going on over there?"

Kaiba sighed, closed his eyes and leaned his head back again, "Hectic. Been up early all morning unpacking. Boxes are everywhere, it's like Christmas except every time you open a box, instead of presents, you get more work."

Yami laughed at that comment and Kaiba felt the familiar chest tightening. _Why is it that every time he laughs, my chest fucking hurts?_ Kaiba thought angrily.

"Lots of heavy lifting, huh." Yami said.

"Yea." Kaiba groaned, rubbing his brow. "And I thought we'd be baking today, but we can't until everything else has been set up. This job is energy consuming."

Yami's eyes flashed mischievously, "You need energy, huh?"

Kaiba missed the visual cue as his eyes were still closed, "Yes. Energy. I should grab some coffee."

"I brought some energy with me." Yami said, smiling to himself at what he was about to do.

Kaiba opened his eyes and sat up. "You have coffee with you?"

"No, I have something better than coffee." Yami said very seriously, trying to keep a straight face.

Kaiba could tell Imposter Yugi was up to something, but he didn't care. _It's probably some Egyptian voodoo-magic-shit they used to keep themselves awake when they built the pyramids_ , Kaiba thought viciously.

"What is it you have that's better than coffee?" he demanded.

"Come here, let me show you. It's in my..." Yami trailed his voice off purposely, and reached for his bag which he put on his lap.

Kaiba leaned over Yami's shoulder into his bag. "What is it?"

Yami leaned his back into the bench, pinning Kaiba's arm behind his back. He tilted his head back and looked deeply into Hiro's intense brown eyes, their noses almost touching. Kaiba was taken aback their sudden closeness, his breath hitched in his throat. "Wh-"

Yami closed his eyes lightly with a small smile and he snuggled himself into Hiro's shoulder, enjoying the scent of his cologne.

Kaiba was frozen in place. Yami looked so disarming with his content smirk on his face and leaning into his shoulder like they were close friends.

Kaiba studied Yami's face carefully, his mind scrambling. _He wants me to kiss him?!_ Kaiba thought incredulously. He stared at Yami's beautifully sculpted face, his dark lashes touching his cheeks softly, his eyelids fluttering slightly; waiting. In that instant, Kaiba made his decision. He leaned in and brushed his lips across Yami's cheek ever so softly.

Yami felt Hiro's hot breath on his face and felt the blood rush into his head. He tilted his face towards the warmth of Hiro's breath and their lips met. Kaiba shifted his body closer to Yami's and lifted his hand to caress his cheek.

The kiss deepened and Yami felt Hiro gently sweep his thumb underneath his eyelashes. _His hands feel amazing_ , Yami thought to himself in a fit of ecstasy.

Yami didn't care where they were or who saw them. He reached up and grabbed a fistful of Hiro's lustrous black hair and opened his mouth to welcome Hiro's tongue.

Kaiba felt Yami's hand slide into his hair, tugging erotically, and lost all self control. _Oh god what the actual fuck am I doing_ , Kaiba thought blurrily, _this feels so fucking amazing, what is this?_

He pushed his lips so hard against Yami's he felt their teeth bump. He tilted his head and slowly slid his tongue into Yami's hot mouth, exploring boldly. He felt Yami sigh and their knees knocked together forcefully as they tried to pull each other closer.

 _More,_ Kaiba thought hungrily, capturing Yami's face in both of his hands. He lightly tugged on Yami's lower lip with his teeth and placed his mouth over Yami's lips, inviting him to stick his tongue in.

Yami cautiously flicked his tongue in and out of Kaiba's mouth, tasting him. Kaiba felt himself give off a small groan. Yami heard this and playfully flicked his tongue in and out of Kaiba's mouth again, this time slower. Kaiba pushed himself harder onto Yami's lips, the force was almost bruising and painful.

 _He tastes like...coffee?_ Yami thought, frozen with surprise. Yami felt his head spin and he felt a strange floating sensation come over his entire body.

Kaiba felt Yami freeze up.

 _What the..._.? Kaiba thought, feeling extremely frustrated and confused.

When he realized Yami wasn't reciprocating anymore, Kaiba slowly disentangled himself and took a good look at Yami's face. Yami's face was flush with color, and he was taking short, gasping breaths, looking at Kaiba with an expression of curiosity. Kaiba was amazed at the expressions Yami was making and he felt his face become instantly hot under Yami's gaze.

Turning his head to the side, Kaiba desperately tried to get back into character, "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I don't usually...with strangers..."

Yami snapped out of his stupor and smiled blissfully over at Kaiba, "Hiro. You're not...you taste..." his voice trailed off as he was lost in thought. _I think you taste like Seto Kaiba_ , Yami thought secretly. _But I can't say that. I haven't kissed Kaiba, so how would I even know? I'm just assuming Kaiba tastes like coffee._

Kaiba felt himself sweat, "I'm not...what? What do I taste like?!" he asked frantically.

Yami laughed gently, "I was going to say you don't feel like stranger to me."

"Ah." Kaiba frowned, unsure if it was good or bad.

"And that you taste pretty good. I'm at a loss of words." Yami added, smiling gently.

"I thought you were going to say I needed a breath mint." Kaiba replied, feeling apprehensive, knowing that he probably tasted like the 3 cups of coffee he drank on his way to work. _Work! Shit!,_ Kaiba jumped to his feet and checked his watch, cursing again, when he realized he didn't have it on.

Yami was startled by the sudden movement, "You okay? It wasn't that bad, was it?"

 _That's the first time I've ever kissed anyone like that..so...I hope I wasn't terrible,_ Yami thought anxiously.

"No, I have to get back to work!" Kaiba exclaimed.

"Oh..!" Yami realized, he had completely forgot. "I'm sorry Hiro! I should've said something..."

Kaiba shook his head quickly, knowing full well that he was the one that got carried away, "No it's not your fault. I'll see you around?"

"Yes!" Yami exclaimed, a little too enthusiastically.

Kaiba smirked slightly and hurried across the street. As he headed down the alleyway towards the back entrance of the bakery, he saw Yami still standing there in a daze. He waved, not expecting Yami to see him. Yami raised his hand slightly and waved back.

Kaiba felt his chest swell up with a warm feeling and he smiled back unexpectedly. He nodded towards the spiky haired figure and ducked into the kitchen, closing the door softly behind him.

Yami stood there, stunned. _Did he just smile at me?_ Yami thought happily. _I wish I was close enough to see it clearly._

He turned around and picked his bag up from the bench. _I guess I'll be coming here again after class! I hope he'll be here when I'm done with class,_ Yami thought, hurrying towards campus. _I definitely need his phone number._


	5. I have tried

Kaiba quickly ducked back into the bakery and hastily donned his apron.

"Yo!" Jason called, "You're back way too late! I'm going to have to dock your pay."

Kaiba whirled around and faced him with a look of disbelief, "What?!"

Jason shrugged. "While you were out there making kissy-faces with your boyfriend, I unpacked everything myself!" he huffed, "And to think you have the nerve to do that on your first day here, and in front of me, of all people."

Kaiba felt his face flush with a mixture of embarrassment and fury, "Apologies, it won't happen again.." he muttered.

"It better not." Jason said, uncharacteristically stern. "Start unpacking. I'll take my break now." He untied his apron and left it on the back counter. "I want all these blenders and glasses in the cabinets by the time I get back!" Jason yelled on his way out.

Kaiba nodded sullenly and picked up a box full of glassware. _Was that worth it?_ he asked himself fiercely, setting the box down on the counter. _And what's more, he fucking saw us!_

Kaiba jerked his head up and looked out of the tall paned windows of the bakery. He had a clear line of sight to the bench he and Yami were sitting on.

 _Wellllll...shit_ , Kaiba cursed inwardly. _He could see us the whole time. We practically gave him a show._

Kaiba continued to privately fume. The glassware clinked together pleasantly as he placed them into the shelf carefully, lost in his own thoughts. Time flew by and before he knew it, Jason was back from his break.

"Nice!" Jason beamed, looking at all the inset cabinets filled with sparkling glasses and plates. "Well, you're all done for today, I'll see you tomorrow?"

Kaiba nodded stiffly and felt his fists curl up into the palms of his hands, "Yes, tomorrow."

"Yes!" Jason clapped Kaiba on the back vigorously, forcing Kaiba to clench his fists even further, "It's been great working with you today, Hiro. Don't worry, I'm hiring more help, so we'll get this place up and running by the end of the week."

"Right." Kaiba replied, as he untied his apron and made a beeline for the kitchen exit.

He ducked into the alley, leaned his back against the cool brick wall, and inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh night air.

 _No time to waste, I've got to get home._ Kaiba thought to himself, quickly pulling his phone out of his pocket to call for his driver.

He walked several blocks from the university and stood by a street corner, lit by a lone streetlamp, on high alert, waiting for his driver.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

In the distance, he could hear a group of rowdy students around the block, heading down the street towards him. Kaiba backed away from the light of the streetlamp and against the wall, towards the shadow of the building, hoping to stay out of sight.

His phone buzzed again; he was getting a call. Kaiba pulled his phone out, realized it was Mokuba, "Hey kiddo." Kaiba said quickly, hoping his voice sounded normal.

"Hey big brother!" Mokuba chirped. "Um, I don't know if you remember, but tonight is movie night at school! Please can I go? You said I could, remember? You even signed the form! The whole 6th grade will be there! Please please please...!"

Kaiba frowned, "I don't remember signing anything."

"You DID!" Mokuba insisted. "I told you a week ago!"

The chattering group of students had turned the corner was heading down the street directly towards him.

"And I said you couldn't attend." Kaiba said, feeling a small bubble of guilt.

"RRgggh!" Mokuba groaned. "I knew you'd forget Seto! Please can I go?!"

"I'll be home soon Mokuba. Let's go out for some pizza okay?" Kaiba said gently, hoping to appease him.

Suddenly, an all-too-familiar voice in an annoying accent shouted, "Ayyyyy! Look it's Hiro!"

 _Fuuuuckk_! Kaiba felt the blood rush to his head.

PLLEEEEEEEESE!" Mokuba shouted in his ear. "I'll be back by 9:30! That's 30 minutes before bedtime PLEASE SETO!"

"It's HIROoOO! Mr. Bakery Man!" Tristan yelled, and his voice echoed up and down the empty street, causing Kaiba to cringe violently.

"Who is that?" Mokuba asked suspiciously.

"No one." Kaiba snarled into the phone. "You may go to your movie night. Be back by 9:45. Call the driver back to the residence and have him wait for you in the school parking lot."

"YAAY! Seto you're the be-," Mokuba was cut off as Kaiba hastily hit the end button. Just as he did so, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

Kaiba whirled around in a contained fury. "Don't touch me," he spat.

"Whoa bro, just sayin' hi to a friend." Joey said, squinting at Kaiba through the darkness.

Kaiba cursed to himself. _Fucking great! The friendship squad._

"Everything okay?" Another familiar voice asked. A few more faces appeared before him out of the darkness; Tristan, Anzu, Yugi, and...Yami.

Kaiba took a deep breath, _Focus. Stay in character._

"S-sorry," Kaiba stammered lamely, "I thought you guys were going to jump me ..or something. I was on the phone..unaware..." He forced himself to trail his voice off incoherently.

Joey held up both his hands defensively, "Yea we all saw you were on the phone. Sorry man, won't do it again."

 _You better fucking not,_ Kaiba fumed privately.

"Hungry?" Yami asked tentatively, stepping up towards him. "Come with us. We're heading towards a popular pizza restaurant."

Kaiba felt his throat close up involuntarily, "Of course.."  
_Mokuba is at his at movie night, and I was going to have to call for a cab anyway,_ he thought, trying to reassure himself.

"Great! The more the merrier!" Anzu said happily, "Let's go!".

Kaiba swallowed dryly, at a loss for words. The rest of the group casually brushed past him, continuing up the street, laughing and talking. Kaiba stood there, rooted in place, unable to move. Yami tilted his head at him curiously, watching his reaction carefully, "You don't have to join us if you're tired. I understand you've probably had a long day at the bakery."

Kaiba mustered the warmest smile he could and looked directly into Yami's dark eyes, "I'll be fine. Thank you."

Yami felt his arms heat up and his legs go numb. _Such a charming smile_ , he thought. "Let's hurry," Yami said and hurried up the dark street, leaving Kaiba standing in the dark, confused at the exchange.

Kaiba caught up with the group and fell into step behind Yugi. He could feel Yami's eyes on him as they walked together in silence, listening to the group chatter away.  
Kaiba was starting to feel uncomfortable in his own skin. They turned a corner and a large glowing sign that read "Santo's Stone Oven Pizza" hovered into view.

"Finally! FOOD!" Joey and Tristan screamed as they rushed through the double doors of the pizzeria. Yugi and Anzu rolled their eyes and followed them through, leaving Yami and Kaiba standing outside, alone.

Yami snuck a glance over at Hiro, secretly enjoying the hue of neon reflecting off of his dark colored hair. Kaiba was fully aware of Yami's eyes on him and he felt himself tense up.

"Well," he said, looking at Yami with a half-smile, "I'm starving. After you." And he gestured for Yami to enter first.

Yami smiled back playfully and said, "Let's discuss what happened on that bench today, shall we?"

 _No, no not now please,_ Kaiba thought, feeling desperate.

"It was..nice." Kaiba said quietly. "Let's continue this some other time, please." he urged.

Yami agreed, now was not the time nor place to discuss such private matters.

The group had seated themselves in a curved, spacious booth and were quietly studying their menus. Yami slid into the booth next to Yugi and patted the empty spot next to him with mischievous smile. "Sit, Hiro."

Kaiba nodded stiffly and slid down into the space carefully avoiding all bodily contact with Yami.

"Let's all share pizzas," Anzu declared, "That way, we can taste everything and enjoy the whole menu together!"

Yami nodded; Joey and Tristan grumbled moodily, and Yugi just smiled. Kaiba felt himself break out in a hot, nervous sweat.

"Fine." Tristan said, "But if we share, everything gets super-sized. Also Joey and I get to pick the majority the toppings. It's only fair."

"Ugh." said Anzu. "Whatever. Let's just eat. I'm so hungry."

They flagged the waiter down and ordered quickly. As they waited for the food to arrive, conversation at the table jumped from topic to topic. "Did you see that One Punch Man episode last night?" Joey asked, loudly crushing ice between his teeth.

"Yes, but there's a movie I'd like to go see." Yugi said, "I forgot what it's called..."

"Forget the movies, the arcade is bomb. Let's go there instead. Plus there's a cute girl at the arcade counter." Tristan said, furiously tapping away at his phone.

"What game are you playing?" Kaiba asked, unable to stop himself.

"Wha? Oh this?" Tristan was very distracted. "It's called Patapoko. Seriously dude, this game is fucking hard. It's like bejeweled but with power-ups, forest animals, and monsters."

Interested, Kaiba leaned across Yami to get a closer look. "Right. Let me give it a try." he said, reaching his hand out towards Tristan. Yami felt his breath catch in his throat as a Hiro's hair passed gently across his face, filling his nose with the light scent of his cologne.

"Sure thing dude." Tristan said, handing over his phone. Yami eyed the phone as it passed across his face. _What is the matter with me,_ Yami thought. _I feel so ..stimulated._

Kaiba placed the phone deftly in front of him and started to play the level.

 _This is easy_ , Kaiba smirked to himself, _This game just connecting colored blocks. A preschooler could play this game._

The group "ooh-ed" and "aah-ed" as Kaiba set a new high score with ease.

"Whaaat!" Tristan yelled, grabbing his hair in disbelief.

Kaiba smiled thinly and handed the phone back across the table. He could feel all eyes on him as he leaned back into his seat. Suddenly, he felt a lot less satisfied and a lot more self conscious. Thankfully, the pizza arrived just in time to avoid awkward questioning.

The two, large, steaming slabs of pizza sat glistening before them. Joey and Tristan didn't say a word and began devouring their slices like mad dogs. Kaiba waited until everyone at the table had taken a slice, and then carefully lifted his slice out from the remaining pieces of pizza.

"Ummfg, thish ish so gud." Trisan said with his mouth full. No one responded as they were all too busy enjoying their own slices.

Kaiba looked around the table, feeling quite strange. He felt as though he were in a movie and he was watching himself perform. His roaming eyes fell on Yami, who was delicately eating his slice with a fork and knife.

Kaiba stared down at his own slice with disdain, but then suddenly realized how hungry he was. He picked it up and began to eat, feeling extremely self aware. As he finished his slice of pizza, Kaiba felt his phone is his back pocket vibrate. The group looked up around the table.

"Whose phone was that?" Anzu asked curiously. Kaiba froze in his seat, frantically thinking of a good lie.

"It's mine, sorry!" Joey choked as he struggled to speak and eat at the same time. He shifted his back towards Tristan. "Hey, Tristan, be a bro, get my phone. It's probably Serenity."

"I'm not touching your butt, bro, wipe your hands and do it yourself! " Tristan yelled, inching away from Joey.

Joey grumbled, shoved his hands towards a napkin, then swiftly picked up his phone. "Hey sis, what's up."

The group chatted happily as Joey continued to speak on the phone. Kaiba felt himself relax but his anxiety peaked when Joey hung up and said, "So guys, Serenity hasn't eaten yet, she's on her way here. Make room. More pizza!"

The group cheered and Kaiba felt as though he was living in an inescapable nightmare. _  
I might as well check my phone for messages,_ Kaiba thought wearily. He stood up slowly, trying not to draw attention to himself.

"Hiro, where you headed?" Yami asked casually, reaching for the another slice of pizza.

Kaiba stiffened. "Bathroom." he said, quickly slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Bathroom is in the back, by the bar, just letting you know!" Tristan said with a helpful smile.

Kaiba nodded brusquely and he quickly made his way to the back of the restaurant. He stood outside the door of the bathroom as he shuffled around in his bag for his phone.

He had text 3 messages that read "Call me" all from his secretary. Kaiba took a look around, and realized he was inches away from a glowing sign that read "Employee Exit".

He was tempted to go through it but then he noticed the bartender giving him a weird look. Kaiba made eye contact with the bartender and approached the bar with quick strides.

"I ain't servin' drinks to no underage kids today." the bartender said to Kaiba with a hard look in his eye.

Kaiba leaned over the bar, keeping his voice low, "I don't need a drink; I need to use your employee exit."

The bartender snorted, "Yea? What's it worth to you pal?"

Kaiba blinked slowly and forced himself to keep his rage contained. He reached for his wallet and with practiced hands, slipped out a crisp 100 dollar bill. "Here." He said, through gritted teeth, slapping the bill onto the counter.

The bartender eyed the bill suspiciously and gave Kaiba a long look. "That bad, huh?"

Kaiba clenched his fist and nodded.

"You keep your money junior, I was just pullin' your leg." The bartender said moodily, stepping out from around the bar. "I'll let you out through the back, son, but you gonna hafta come back in through the front door, ya hear?"

Kaiba nodded anxiously and looked over his shoulder back over at the booth where the Yugi-gang was still laughing merrily. He quickly followed the bartender towards the back exit and watched as the bartender kicked the door open. A gust of cool night air rushed in and washed over Kaiba like a breath of fresh air.

"Thanks." Kaiba grunted and ducked outside. He waited until the bartender went back inside and he quickly hit re-dial on his phone and waited for an answer.

"Mr. Kaiba!" his secretary's voice sounded slightly out of breath. "Mr. Kaiba, I've found a fully furnished apartment near the university as per your request!"

"That's great." Kaiba said, feeling conflicted.

"A student needed to move quickly; we made them an offer he couldn't resist! We left a spare key under the door mat so please drop by to pick it up tonight! I'll text you the address," his secretary continued, "Apologies for the late notification."

"That is fine, good work." Kaiba said quickly, and hung up. He looked up towards the night sky and inhaled deeply. _This is actually happening_ , Kaiba thought to himself. _This is crazy_. _I'm going to live near a university campus and work part time at a bakery. What the hell am I doing?_

He hurried away from the exit, making his way back towards the main entrance. As Kaiba stepped back into the restaurant, he realized his seat had been taken by a slender brunette female.

"He returnnnss!" Tristan crowed.

"Hiro! This is Serenity, Joey's little sister!" Anzu smiled up at Kaiba as he stood awkwardly at the edge of the table.

Kaiba pulled the corners of his mouth upwards into what he hoped was a smile and braced himself for questions about why he had come back through the main entrance, but no one seemed to notice.

"Oh I'm so sorry, this was where you were sitting!" Serenity cried and she made a motion to get out of her seat, quickly wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"No, please." Kaiba said, "I was just leaving."

A chorus of "whaaat"s echoed around the table. Yami furrowed his brow suspiciously and Kaiba could feel Yami's gaze piercing through him.

"Where are you going?" Yami asked innocently.

"Home." Kaiba responded quickly. "I've got an early day tomorrow. I work at a bakery, remember?"

Serenity gasped, "Oh I love baked sweets!"

"We have yet to try some of your baked desserts, Hiro." Yami said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Yea Seto Kaiba's baked desserts could probably give you a run for your money." Joey snickered.

Kaiba forced a laugh. Yami was still staring daggers into him, and Kaiba was beginning to feel increasingly more uncomfortable the longer he stood by the table.

"Goodnight." Kaiba said, trying desperately not to make eye contact with anyone at the table. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Bye!" The group chorused. Kaiba turned his heel and walked quickly out the door.

Yami turned towards Yugi and said hastily, "I forgot to ask him for his contact information, I'll be right back."

Yugi shrugged nonchalantly, and Yami quickly exited the booth to hurry towards Hiro.

Kaiba quickly checked the location of his new apartment, relieved to find out it was within walking distance, made a mental note, and slid his phone back into his pocket. Just as he did so, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching from behind.

"Hiro!" Yami called, waving in the darkness towards the tall figure.

Kaiba reluctantly paused in his step and allowed Yami to catch up with him.

"I realized I don't have any of your contact information," Yami panted, slightly out of breath.

Kaiba felt a bubble of dread creep up from his chest, constricting in his throat, "Contact information. " he repeated stupidly.

"Yes." Yami said firmly, pulling out his phone, which Kaiba noticed, was a visibly older model.

"I...don't have a phone." Kaiba said, lying through his teeth.

Yami raised his eyebrows incredulously, "Really...?"

"Well, no, it's a long story." Kaiba stammered, grasping at strings of thought, "You caught me on a bad day. I'll be receiving a new phone tomorrow."

 _I fucking better see those disposable phones on my desk when I get back_ , Kaiba fumed privately.

Yami blinked, and nodded, visibly disappointed.

Kaiba tightened his face into a smile, "See you." And he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Yami cried.

Kaiba felt a small headache coming on, "Yes?"

"I'll walk you home." Yami said quickly. "It's dark, and you seem to be tired."

"No, that's really fine, you don't have to." Kaiba responded, feeling panic swell up in his chest _._

 _I haven't even been in my own "home" yet!_ Kaiba thought desperately, _I can't have visitors over, even if the apartment is fully furnished!_

"No?" Yami repeated. "Well if that's -" He was interrupted by the Yugi-gang exiting the restaurant nosily.

"Yami!" Yugi exclaimed, rushing to his side. "We're heading home, it's late! Let's go!"

Yami turned towards Yugi with a sly smile, "Hiro and I were just discussing how he was going to get home."

 _No. No NO fucking NO!_ Kaiba screamed in his head, and forced himself to remain emotionless.  
"No we weren't discussing that at all. I'm walking home, thank you very much." he said curtly.

"C'mon." Yugi said, tugging on Yami's arm.

Yami nodded reluctantly and followed, waving back at the tall dark figure standing motionless in the parking lot.

Kaiba breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the twins receded from his view, and made sure he heard the sound of a car engine turn over before heading towards the direction of the apartment.

* * *

Yami looked out the window moodily, watching the buildings zip by as the gang chatted happily in the car. Yugi looked over at his twin and nudged him slightly, "What's wrong Yami?"

Yami leaned back into his seat and re-adjusted his seat belt. "Nothing. Thinking about how Hiro said he didn't own a cell phone to avoid exchanging contact information."

"What?!" Tristan yelled from the driver's seat. "That was his excuse? Lame."

Anzu turned around in the passenger seat to face the spiky-haired twins in the back, "Well it could be true. Not everyone has to own a phone these days. Maybe he really doesn't have a phone."

Yami nodded sullenly and turned his gaze outwards again. Yugi folded his arms behind his head in a carefree gesture. "Don't worry about it Yami. Some people are slow to open up. Ask him again later, I'm sure you'd be able to tell if he was lying."

Yami nodded again and stayed silent for the rest of the ride.

* * *

Kaiba stood in front of a tall, brightly lit building, staring at the open windows with their curtains fluttering slowly in and out on every floor. He could hear light, pleasant chattering and music drifting out from the rooms. Kaiba walked resolutely through the entrance of the building and pulled out his phone, checking his apartment number.

 _108, I'm on the first floor, how convenient._ Kaiba thought, feeling relieved. He arrived at the door and haphazardly kicked the door mat aside for the key underneath it. Hastily picking it up and jamming it violently into the lock, the key stuck and Kaiba grunted in frustration as he tried make the lock give by jiggling the door handle.

Finally after a few slight twists, Kaiba managed to open the door and he stepped inside a completely dark room. The sliver of light from the hallway disappeared slowly as he closed the door behind him, standing in a pitch black room. He felt up the wall and flipped a switch.

Two lamps flickered on and Kaiba was mildly surprised at what he saw. The room was very spacious. A long, sleek desk hugged the wall near a large window that stretched from one end of the room to the other. A large, empty bed frame sat awkwardly in the middle of the room. It was as if the previous owner had moved all the furniture and left in a hurry.

A wide screen television sat on the wall across from the window, and a pull-out couch served as the divider between the desk and the TV.

Kaiba heard his shoes click loudly against the hardwood floor as he walked across the room to inspect the kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen was sparsely furnished, with the standard single-person stove, refrigerator, and lone counter top for appliances. A lonely bar stool was leaning against the opposite wall. Kaiba made a mental note to bring in more chairs.

He walked towards the bathroom, and noticed there was an adjourning walk-in closet. Feeling quite thankful that everything was much more spacious and accessible than he had originally thought, he pulled out his phone to call his driver and sent a congratulatory text to his assistant.

* * *

Yami laid wide awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, images of a certain dark haired individual running through his mind. He watched the wind rhythmically push the curtains back and forth against the sill, letting in a bit of light from the streetlamps outside. He sat up and decided that he wasn't going to sleep tonight. He looked at the clock; it read 3:10 AM. He sighed and pushed the sheets off his legs, being careful not to wake Yugi. He dressed himself quickly, grabbed his bag, and left the house quietly.

Yami stepped into the quiet street, feeling strangely detached from reality.

 _Who is awake at this hour?_ Yami thought to himself, shuffling his bag from one shoulder to the other. He continued to walk down the road, with no direction in mind. Suddenly, a thought struck him.

 _Perhaps Kaiba would be awake? He's always working on something at ungodly hours_ , Yami nodded to himself reassuringly and continued on his way.

After some time, Yami found himself standing before Kaiba Corporation's head offices, an altitude-reaching building, complete with an enormous KC logo decorating the front doors.

He reached his hand out to touch the doors, but to his surprise, they opened for him immediately as he got close. Feeling slightly satisfied, he walked confidently through the doors and into the dark building.

Yami spotted a light in Kaiba's office a few stories above and he hurried towards it, the heels of his shoes echoing loudly against the stone floors.

Meanwhile, Kaiba was just about to leave when he heard the electronic beep of the front doors opening. He froze, shocked.

 _Who the fuck is coming in at this hour?!_ Kaiba thought to himself angrily.

He quickly flipped open his laptop to access the security feed. Kaiba saw a spiky haired silhouette coming slowly up the stairs, footsteps getting louder as the figure got closer.

Panicking, Kaiba pulled the laptop towards him and crossed his legs tightly, desperately trying to find a natural sitting position.

 _I'm being ridiculous,_ Kaiba snorted to himself. _Why the fuck am I so worked up.  
_ He heard a soft knock at the door.

"Come in." Kaiba said, trying to sound weary. The door quietly panned open and there stood..Yami.

 _This is Yami. I_ _am certain this is not Yugi_ , Kaiba thought excitedly _._

"May I come in.." Yami asked tentatively, looking around the spacious office, noticing a large bed tucked away in a dark corner of the office.

"You're already in." Kaiba said flatly." Close the door behind you, it's drafty."

Yami obliged and slowly approached Kaiba's desk. He peered over the edge, trying to get a glimpse of what was on the screen.

"So what's new?" Yami asked casually, trying not to feel unwelcome.

Kaiba clasped his hands together and stared icily at the other Yugi over the tips of his long fingers."What are you doing here at 4 in the morning Yugi." Kaiba asked coldly.

Yami felt a pang of anger and annoyance shoot through his chest.  
"I am not Yugi." He said indignantly, regretting the visit more and more as the seconds ticked by.

"Whatever." Kaiba smirked, seeing the flicker of annoyance pass across the Yami's face.

"I'm clearly bothering you. I'll be leaving." Yami said stiffly, turning towards the door.

Kaiba tilted his head, amused. "Well before you go, _Yugi_ , help me out with something."

Yami tensed, feeling slightly shocked. _Seto Kaiba asking for his help?_  
Instantly suspicious, Yami was on guard. He clenched his fists slightly and said, "I'll help you, Kaiba, but call me Yugi one more time..." Yami left his threat unfinished as he stood and glared at Kaiba in the darkness. He willed himself to stay silent, allowing the silence to ripen, and kept his focus on the soft blue light, shining in from the windows reflecting off of Kaiba's light brown hair.

Kaiba blinked a few times and said simply, "Sure." He then leaned back and reached into one of his desk drawers, pulling out a small box containing the newest mobile technology his company was currently producing.

He placed it purposefully on the before him and slowly slid the box open, revealing a sleek phone with a slender mirrored screen and a tasteful carbon fiber rim.

Yami stared at the device, stunned. "W-what is this for..?!" he asked, trying to hide his surprise and confusion.

"Well.." Kaiba said carefully thinking of the right lie, "This tech is so new, so it hasn't been tested yet. Why don't you use it for a while and tell me what you think."

Yami felt his chest constrict with anxiety, "Don't you have ...people.. who do that for you?"

"Tsk", Kaiba clicked his tongue in annoyance. _Trying to give a gift, why is he making this so difficult._ "Just. Take the phone." He said through gritted teeth.

Yami stood there motionless, not quite believing what he was seeing or hearing. The heat from Kaiba's blue eyes shot threads of electricity through him like fire.

Yami reached out and lifted the box slowly off the desk without breaking eye contact. Kaiba felt himself shake slightly, trying to contain the strange feeling rising up from his throat.

"Thank you." Yami said quietly, holding the box awkwardly in front of him with both hands, wondering if he should've been more polite.

Kaiba forced himself to look away. "Report to me if any issues arise," he said quickly, feeling his face heat up.

"I..actually might need some help with it now." Yami said nervously, feeling extremely embarrassed.

Kaiba blinked, "What."

"I'll ask Yugi." Yami said hurriedly, blood rushing to his face.

"I have time now." Kaiba said devilishly, sensing Yami's embarrassment. "Have a seat." He gestured towards the large bed in the corner of the room.

Yami eyed Kaiba suspiciously. "Why don't you have any chairs in this room?"

Kaiba's heart skipped a beat. _Fucckkk!_ he screamed at himself, _I brought them all over to the goddamn apartment, that's fucking why!_

"I'm redecorating." Kaiba lied, his knuckles turning white has he gripped the armrest of his office chair, "And I don't entertain guests in my office, so, no need for chairs."

"So, no chairs, but, a bed? For entertainment?" Yami asked, his curiosity mounting.

"I don't enjoy falling asleep at my desk." Kaiba fumed, as this was becoming too troublesome. "Fine, let's _not_ sit. We'll stand. Take out the damn phone so I can show you how to set it up. Whichever makes you leave faster."

Yami felt Kaiba's words cut through him like a hot knife. _He wants me to leave.. faster_ , Yami thought to himself darkly.

"I'll sit" Yami complied, walking over towards the bed, feeling offended.

"Good." Kaiba responded stiffly. _The lies are never ending, I want him to stay,_ Kaiba thought to himself desperately.

Yami gracefully sat himself on the end of the large bed and he pulled his legs up, getting comfortable. He placed the box onto the bed next to him and looked up at Kaiba expectantly, "Now I will turn it on... I suppose", Yami said slowly, turning the phone over in his slender hands.

Kaiba felt nervous as he watched Yami's hands caress the phone. He sat down cautiously beside Yami, feeling his weight sink into the cushion. He suddenly had a wild thought, replaying the passionate kiss they shared on the bench in front of the bakery. Kaiba slapped himself mentally.

"Ah this is cool!" Yami exclaimed excitedly as the phone screen lit up before him, highlighting his slender nose and delicate cheekbones in the dark.

Kaiba blinked and nodded silently, crossing his long legs awkwardly as he felt his pants grow uncomfortably tight.

Yami tapped around the screen enthusiastically, feeling elated, surprised at how user-friendly the interface was.

 _I guess I don't really need any help setting this up._ _Do I dare feel happy?_ Yami thought secretly, _can this be considered a gift? But its more like I'm doing him favor, isn't it?_  
  
Kaiba stared intently at Yami's face, drinking in every detail, watching him blink in delight, his dark eyelashes touching his cheeks as he did so. The tips of Yami's lips looked really soft as they were illuminated by the glow of the phone screen. Kaiba felt angry with himself just as that thought crossed his mind.

Yami felt Kaiba's eyes on him and stopped playing with the phone. He glanced swiftly over at Kaiba, who was sitting extremely still beside him in the dark.

"Hey, Kaiba." Yami said quietly, "Thank you. I'm excited to use this phone as a replacement for this..." He shifted around and fished out Yugi's old phone from his pocket.

Kaiba nodded again, feeling uncomfortably aroused, unable to speak, afraid that if he did, he would say something he would regret.

Yami was unnerved. Kaiba was being extremely quiet, and it was difficult to read his expressions in the dark.

"Kaiba..?" Yami leaned closer towards him, struggling to see his face. Yami trailed his eyes down Kaiba's figure and noticed a particularly large and uncomfortable looking bulge, outlined against the fabric between Kaiba's thighs.

Yami averted his gaze aside quickly as blood rushed to his head, making him feel dizzy and aroused at the sight.

Kaiba noticed the sudden movement, and felt himself panic slightly. He clenched his fists and stood up swiftly, "It seems like you don't need any help."

Startled at the sudden shift in weight on the mattress, Yami struggled to compose himself. " You seem ...tense." Yami eyed Kaiba's obvious boner, blatantly displayed before him at nose-height.

Kaiba noticed this and forced himself not to react. "Go home."

Yami lowered his head and eyed Kaiba lustfully through his spiky blonde bangs, "Would you like-"

"GO. HOME." Kaiba growled vehemently, every cell in his body was fighting the urge to push Yami down onto the bed and ravage him.

Yami furrowed his brow in frustration. He quietly gathered his things, threw his bag over his shoulder and headed towards the door.

Kaiba stood resolutely facing away from Yami, waiting for him to leave.

Yami turned to look at Kaiba's tall figure one last time before carefully pulling the door behind him, not fully closing it, purposefully leaving a small gap.

Kaiba waited until he heard Yami's footsteps recede in the distance and he let out a sigh of frustration. He sat down on the edge of the bed shakily, taking slow ragged breaths, feeling his body heat up.

 _What the actual fuck is wrong with me?!_ Kaiba thought resentfully. He kicked his shoes off in an effort to make himself comfortable and glared at his boner, feeling outraged.

 _My body betrays me_ , Kaiba thought to himself hatefully. He shut his eyes and leaned his head back, willing it to go away. After few moments, he opened his eyes, feeling defeated as his boner throbbed painfully. Kaiba tentatively loosened his belt and unbuttoned his pants. He looked down at his open fly, the outline of his penis bulging out from over the zipper. Kaiba slid a shaking hand downwards and closed his eyes reluctantly, willing himself to give in to the pleasure of his own hand.

Meanwhile, Yami had paused in the middle of the stairs, waiting to hear movement from Kaiba's office. _I'll catch him when he leaves in a few minutes_ , Yami thought to himself, _he did say he was just about to head home, so just maybe..._

Yami contemplated an excuse as he surveyed the dark offices beneath him, and made a decision to head back up. It seemed like the light from the office was inviting as he began climbing upwards; it was shining warmly from the crack in the doorway.

Quietly, Yami approached the door cautiously, peering through the gap, and what he saw shocked him to the core. Kaiba was shamelessly masturbating, one hand tightly gripping his shaft and the other resting gently on his balls. Yami felt his breath hitch in his throat as waves of shock coursed through his body, nailing his feet to the floor. He pressed his cheek against the cold door frame, trying to get a closer look but also to steady himself.

Kaiba took shallow breaths as he tried to keep his mind blank, but the image of Yami's lips kept bubbling up to the surface of his consciousness. He slowly encircled the tip of his penis with the pad of this thumb, imagining Yami slowly taking him into his mouth. Deep waves of pleasure alternated up from his hands and to his chest, traveling up and down his body swiftly. He spread his legs wider as he felt himself reach the peak of his arousal, and imagined Yami moving his tongue over one of his testicles. Kaiba suppressed a soft groan as he caressed himself, moving his hand up and down his penis, faster and faster.

Yami felt the blood rushing loudly in his ears as he felt himself become extremely aroused. He blinked and swallowed as he forced himself to step away from the crack in the doorway. His breath had left a slight oval of condensation on the metal door frame.

 _Time to leave before he realizes I'm still here_ , Yami thought to himself frantically and he turned to hurry back down the stairs towards the main entrance. Tiny waves of pleasure jolted through him with every step he took.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Kaiba climaxed violently into his own hand and he felt his warm semen spill out from around his clenched fist. He opened his eyes and looked down at his hand, slowly uncurling his slender fingers dripping with semen, surveying the mess he'd created.

Irritated, Kaiba clumsily stripped himself out of his pants and made his way to the office bathroom to clean up.


	6. throwing fragments of love at you

Yami stepped into the game shop and to his surprise, he saw a light in the doorway leading into the kitchen. He quickly glanced at the store clock and realized it was 6:30 AM.

 _I have to go to class in a few hours!_ Yami realized. He hurried into the house and saw Yugi eating breakfast sleepily at the kitchen counter.

"Aibou," Yami said hesitantly. "You're up early, good morning."

Yugi yawned widely, "'Morning! I have a project meet-up, so we can head out together today!"

Yami nodded and sat himself down next to Yugi along the kitchen counter.

"What were you doing out there?" Yugi asked blearily.

"Oh I..." Yami stopped for a moment, debating if he should tell Yugi about what he had just witnessed. Then he remembered, the phone!

"Kaiba gave me a phone..." Yami said slowly, trying not to sound excited.

Yugi was now wide-awake. "He..WHAT?! Let me see?!"

Yami reached into his pocket and and placed his shiny new device onto the marble counter.

"Woooww!" Yugi exclaimed, picking it up excitedly and examining it carefully. "Is this carbon fiber?!"

Yami tried to suppress a look of pride. "Yes, it's quite nice, although, I'm not quite sure what he's thinking."

Yugi nodded in agreement, "Did he say why he was giving this to you? Maybe he wants something in return?"

Yami furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling very tired from the lack of sleep, "He said to report any issues the phone may have, while in use."

"That's it?" Yugi asked incredulously.

Yami nodded, feeling anxious, "Should I give it back?"

"Nah," Yugi grinned, "Kaiba's fucking loaded. He's got a million of these. Don't take it too personally that he gave you one."

Yami felt a lump swell up in this throat, making it painful to swallow, "Right."

"So, how will you report the issues?" Yugi asked curiously. "Can you just text him, or do you have to make a trip over to see Kaiba in-person?"

Yami paused, feeling a wave of confusion wash over him, "I don't know!"

Yugi laughed and reached out to squeeze Yami's hand reassuringly, "Well I have Mokuba's number, don't worry." Yami tensed at the warmth of Yugi's hand on his. Yugi noticed this and appeared concerned.

Yami looked down at the counter, avoiding eye contact, "There was also..something else that happened."

"I'm listening." Yugi said gently.

Yami felt himself sweat, "I saw...I saw Kaiba..touching himself."

Yugi blinked and leaned forward, refusing to believe what he was hearing, "You saw what?!"

"I saw him touching himself." Yami repeated robotically. "As I was leaving, he was-"

"Oh my god!" Yugi exclaimed aghast, and turning pale. "In front of you?! Why?! And how does that even happen?!"

"He didn't know I was there," Yami said hastily, "I was leaving, and wanted to thank him again, so I headed back up and accidentally caught a glimpse of him in a private moment. Nothing to it, Yugi, please don't worry."

Yugi was opening and closing his mouth like a gulping goldfish gasping for air, "A-And he didn't ..SEE you, right?!" he croaked.

"He did not." Yami said calmly. Yugi bent over his breakfast, feeling stressed.

"Aibou, please, it's really fine..." Yami said desperately, not expecting Yugi to take the news this badly.

"Am I okay, are YOU okay?!" Yugi interjected. "Just don't mention anything to him about this, and we won't be murdered by his security detail."

Yami swallowed nervously and nodded, "I understand, Yugi."

"Good." Yugi sniffed and he bent his head over his bowl, slowly eating his breakfast in silence.

"I'm going to take quick shower, come get me when you're ready to head to campus." Yami said casually, and he headed up the stairs.

* * *

Kaiba's eyes shot open when he heard a soft knock on his door. He sat up quickly and realized he had fallen asleep on the bed.

"Seto?" Mokuba's voice drifted through a crack in the doorway.

Kaiba quickly composed himself, "Come in Mokuba."

Mokuba slowly opened the door and took a few steps into the room. "Why are you still here Seto? Are you sick?"

Kaiba furrowed his brown, confused, "I'm feeling fine."

"But Seto, I'm about to head to school, it's 7:30AM right now." Mokuba said, looking concerned.

Kaiba felt his blood run cold, he was an hour late for his shift at the bakery.

"I'm gonna go now Seto," Mokuba said, backing away slowly, "I'll see you later!" He quickly shut the door behind him and sprinted down the stairs.

Kaiba leaped out of bed and ran into the bathroom, fraught with anxiety and distress. He stepped into the shower and clumsily plopped black hair dye onto his palms. Hastily drying himself after the rinse, he stabbed himself in the eye several times, while unsuccessfully attempting to apply the brown contact lenses in a panic. Kaiba looked up at the mirror and forced himself to breathe. A pale, dark haired, brown-eyed reflection stared back at him.

Rushing out of the bathroom, Kaiba fervently threw on the last set of casual clothes his secretary had purchased for him and hurried out the door. Running out into the driveway where a car was waiting, he threw himself in the backseat, panting and breathless.

"Good morning Mr. Kai-," the driver stiffed with surprise. "Um..sir, please exit this vehicle peacefully or I shall call security to forcefully remove you."

"I _am_ Kaiba." Kaiba growled furiously, "Drive towards the university campus. Now."

The driver began to visibly sweat, "Sir, may I see some identification?"

Kaiba was about to pop a vein. "Are you fucking serious?! If the car doesn't start this minute..", Kaiba threatened, "You. Are. Fired."

The driver trembled in his seat, "P-Please wait while I confirm.." He fumbled around for his cell phone and began making a call.

 _Unbelievable!_ Kaiba fumed, looking at the time, he was now close to 2 hours late for his shift. He made a mental note to schedule the same driver for these exploits at all times.

The driver finished the call and slowly turned around in his seat to face Kaiba, "Sir..I-I am so sorry, I d-didn't realize.."

"Just. drive." Kaiba groaned, rubbing his temples as he felt his head throb with anger and exhaustion.

The terrified driver obeyed, and they sped towards their destination.

* * *

Yami rhythmically tapped his pen against his notepad as he sat in class, his eyes mindlessly following the professor walking back and forth across the podium. He looked down at his notepad and realized he hadn't actually written anything down, other than a few long scratches of ink running across the page where he had fallen asleep while the pen was touching the paper. Yami shook his head slightly and willed himself to stay awake, the images from Kaiba's office visit swam to the surface of his mind.

 _Why was Kaiba so aroused?_ Yami thought furtively, _Did I interrupt him in the middle of...talking with a woman?_ Yami swallowed nervously. _Surely, a young, rich bachelor like Seto Kaiba would have thousands of women courting him._

Almost instinctively, Yami reached into his pocket and wrapped his fingers tightly around his new phone. To his surprise, it buzzed reassuringly. He pulled it out and tapped the screen; it was a text from Yugi, "Do you want to grab lunch?" it read.

"Yes!" Yami wrote back quickly. And then on an afterthought, he wrote, "Do you think Kaiba has a girlfriend?"

His phone buzzed as Yugi responded, "Omg, Yami, are you STILL thinking about that?! I'll bet he currently has, or has had, tons of girlfriends! He's famous. And rich. Why else do you think Joey and Tristan try to follow him around so much during dueling events?"

Yami felt his breath constrict in his throat as he remembered witnessing crowds of screaming women pushing against separation barriers at several duels where Kaiba was involved. The text on the screen started to blur as he felt his eyes water slightly. The phone hummed again as Yugi said, "Seriously Yami, just don't worry about it. He's not our friend, really, so...it's none of our business."

The phone vibrated for a third time as Yugi wrote, "See you for lunch, text you details later! Joey and Anzu might come too!"

Yami realized he was getting dirty looks from neighboring classmates and he looked apologetically back at them as he tucked his phone away. He faced the podium and tried to pay attention for the remainder of class.

* * *

Kaiba sprinted into the alleyway towards the back entrance of the bakery. He grabbed the handle and yanked forcefully, but it was locked. Cursing under his breath, he hurried around the building towards the entrance, feeling his pulse rise in panic.

 _I've never been 2 hours late for anything!_ Kaiba screamed at himself angrily, _Today is the day I get fired from a low wage position!_

He grabbed the chrome gold handles of the bakery doors and swung them open. Jason, the bakery's manager, was bent over the cash register screen, mumbling intently, barely visible from behind a large stack of boxes sitting on the white marble counter.

Kaiba stood before him, breathless, his feelings of dread mounting higher and higher the longer he went unnoticed.

Jason finally spoke, not looking at Kaiba, and frowning fixedly at the register screen. "So. New hire, you decided to show up today, huh?"

Kaiba nodded silently and tensed, bracing himself for the worst.

"Well," The manager said gravely, "Normally you would be fired, but we're extremely short-handed, and I believe in second chances, so, grab an apron and redeem yourself. "

Reeling from shock, Kaiba carefully walked past the long marble counter and pushed aside a few boxes, accessing the kitchen door.

"Wait." Jason said sternly, "How exactly are you planning on redeeming yourself today? I'd like to know."

Kaiba paused and gave the manager a meaningful look, "I'll gladly set up registers and whip up something for you to sample during our break."

Jason nodded, appearing satisfied. Kaiba hurried into the kitchen and grabbed the neatly folded mint-green apron that was waiting for him on the counter. He quickly did a lap around the kitchen, looking for ingredients he could use to make his apology pastries. Kaiba grabbed butter from the refrigerator and set it out to thaw at room temperature. Next, he managed to hunt down a bag of sugar, honey, and flour, which he arranged purposefully around the bowl of thawing butter. He checked his watch and made a mental note to check the progress of the butter in an hour, and headed back out towards the front.

Jason was still squinting shrewdly at the register monitors, "Okay this baby is giving me some t-r-ouble."

Kaiba leaned over the manager's shoulder and glanced at the screen. It seemed like a simple program installation. "Sir," Kaiba said stiffly, "If you don't mind, I'd like to take it from here."

"Be my guest!" Jason said with a flourishing gesture. "I am so done with this. I spent the entire morning trying to get this damn thing to work. I'm going to blow off some steam with some box-opening." He walked off in a frustrated huff and disappeared behind the large mounds of cardboard.

Kaiba leaned down and began expertly integrating the built-in program for the register. He felt his phone hum in his apron pocket and he absently silenced it. He tried to shove it into his back pocket, but realized his company phone already occupying it. Kaiba made sure to fully shut off his company phone and placed his personal phone before him on the white marble counter. He quietly suppressed a yawn as he watched the program load slowly on the screen.

"Hey!" Jason yelled, "None of that! I saw that yawn!"

Kaiba lowered his head trying to appear apologetic, "The program is taking a while to load."

"Then grab a screwdriver, help me out here." Jason said loudly. Kaiba obliged and stepped out from around the counter to join him in the mass of cardboard boxes.

Time passed quickly as the two men worked together swiftly and the cafe portion of the bakery was coming together quite nicely. Soon, all the boxes were gone, and a messy stack of cardboard sat messily in the center of the room. Jason sat back on his heels and wiped his brow, "Well, seems like we made a lot of progress! I'll take my break first!"

Kaiba suddenly leapt to his feet, "Shit! I left butter out on the counter!"

"Oh!" Jason said, pulling off his apron and throwing it over his shoulder, "Yea, go check on that. I'll be back in 20 minutes. Today it's just you and me again."

Kaiba wasn't listening. He ran into the kitchen and was relieved to see the butter had thawed to his liking. He gathered milk and eggs from the refrigerator and began expertly whisking the ingredients together. Kaiba paused for a moment, contemplating his next actions. He turned around and rummaged in the cabinet behind him, looking for inspiration. He spotted a sad box of English black tea, half-opened and forgotten.

Feeling a rare spark of excitement, Kaiba hastily grabbed the tea packets and threw them in a bowl with hot water. He placed them in the microwave and as he waited for the tea bags to boil, he whipped up a basic vanilla meringue and emptied the cream cleanly into a piping bag.

Kaiba set the piping bag full of frosting the refrigerator, and returned with milk. He then methodically poured the milk and the black tea into his prepped batter, mixing assiduously. He skillfully poured them into a large cupcake mold, and in one fluid motion, slid them into the oven. Kaiba stepped back and wiped his hands on a towel, feeling extremely pleased with himself. He reached around for his phone to set a personal timer for the oven, but realized he had left it at the front.

Kaiba rushed back out and grabbed his phone, quickly setting an alarm for 12 minutes. He heard a soft knock on the glass and he glanced up, alarmed. He saw a slender, spiky-haired figure peering in. Kaiba felt his stomach leap upwards and his pulse started to race. It was Yami, it had to be.

 _Stay in character_ , Kaiba reminded himself firmly as he stepped around the large pile of cardboard debris, and approached the spiky-haired figure, grinning.

Yami felt excited and surprised to see Hiro's smiling at him through the glass. He waved enthusiastically.

Kaiba waved back lightly, pushed the door open, squinting as he stepped outside into the bright sunshine. Yami looked up at Hiro, appreciating his height, and admiring his black hair in contrast with the sun.

"How are you doing?" Yami asked, smiling up at Hiro, trying to contain his delight.

Kaiba felt strangely light, dazzled by Yami's smile, "I'm doing well, how was your class? You seem to always be available this time in the morning."

"I am," Yami agreed, "And what time are you available? Would you like to join me for lunch?"

Kaiba felt himself shake slightly, "Lunch? I'm not...sure." he said slowly, suddenly feeling agitated. _Was this a date?_  
  
Yami tried to hide his disappointment, "I see. May I have your contact information? Perhaps you could let me know if you could join us later."

Kaiba pulled the corners of his mouth up into a smile, he was ready for this, "Yes, here." He reached into his apron pocket and pulled out his personal phone. Yami happily tapped Hiro's number into his phone and smiled up at him again, "Thank you!"

Kaiba nodded towards Yami's phone, "Nice, is that new?"

Yami felt himself blush, "It is, it was gift."

Kaiba liked that reaction. "A gift? From who?" he prodded, trying to gain insight on what Yami thought of it.

"Yes, well, I don't think it was supposed to be a gift. And I suppose this person isn't really my friend. I'm not sure." Yami rambled, trying to sort out his own confusion.

Kaiba frowned, bothered by this response, "You don't consider this person your friend, and yet you accepted such an expensive gift?"

"No!" Yami cried, "I do consider him a friend! I don't think he feels the same way...about.. me." He stared at his shoes, his voice trailed off lamely as despair started to overwhelm him.

Kaiba raised his eyebrows in amusement, "Well I'm sure _he_ considers you as...," Kaiba paused and swallowed, realizing what he was about to say. "A friend." he finished.

Yami shook his head sullenly, "You don't understand. There is a gap, a distance, between us. I cannot close it."

Kaiba glared at Yami in frustration, "What are you talking about? What gap."

Yami looked up at him and Kaiba realized his eyes were slightly wet, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Tell me." Kaiba insisted, and the alarm on his phone started buzzing violently in his pocket. He ignored it.

"Yami." Kaiba said in the most gentle manner he could muster, placing a warm hand on Yami's shoulder, "You can tell me."

Yami looked away pointedly and stepped back away from his reach, "Your phone is ringing."

Kaiba felt like exploding, "Stay here, I'll be right back." He turned his heel and furiously made his way back into the kitchen.

 _What the hell is he talking about,_ Kaiba fumed as he removed a tray of beautiful light brown cupcakes from the oven. He shut the door with a force, causing hot air to blast him in the face. He blinked and suddenly there was a sharp stinging in his eye.

"Fuckk!" He yelled in pain as one of his contacts slid out of place. Kaiba leaned his head back and let his eyes water as he blinked several times, allowing the contact to settle. He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm himself down. He grabbed the piping bag from the refrigerator and began viciously piping the cupcakes.

Kaiba felt the anger settle down into a small pit in his chest as he squeezed the piping bag, repeatedly swirling frosting onto the cakes, one after another. There was calm in the rhythmic actions. Before long, a fresh set of softly swirled cupcakes laid gleaming before him and Kaiba stepped back to admire his work. You would never have guessed these were made in a fit of rage. He heard the door behind him click, and Jason strode in surely, "Hey there!"

Kaiba nodded at him and made his way over to the sink, washing his hands silently.

"Wow!" The manager exclaimed, hovering delightedly over the cupcakes, "You made these just now?! Classic, vanilla cupcakes?"

Kaiba dried his hands on a nearby towel, "Black milk tea cupcakes, help yourself." he said, feeling apprehensive as he watched Jason eagerly picked one up and take a large bite.

"Oh wow." Jason said with his mouth full, "Oh wow oh wow," He repeated again as he took another large bite enthusiastically. Kaiba felt a small twinge of pride swell up inside him, but it was quickly extinguished and replaced with dread when Jason said, "Hey, your..uh, boyfriend is waiting outside for you."

"R-Right," Kaiba choked, "I thought he would've left already."

Jason grinned while he wiped frosting from the corners of his mouth, "You playin' dumb? He knows this is around the time of your break, bring him one of these! Don't be long!"

"I've only been here for about two hours...and I was late. I still get my scheduled break?" Kaiba asked incredulously.

"We worked pretty fast today!" Jason exclaimed, "And these are delicious, so I think you deserve your break."

"Thank you." Kaiba mumbled as he hastily untied his apron and grabbed the tray of cupcakes from the stainless steel counter, heading out the back door.

"20 minutes!" Jason yelled as the door closed. Kaiba swung around to say something but the door slammed shut too quickly. _Right,_ Kaiba thought viciously as he set an alarm on his phone, _I'll be sure to return on time, this time.  
_

He stepped out from the dark alleyway and squinted as the light from the sun washed over him. Kaiba spotted Yami sitting on his usual bench across the street, under the trees. Taking a deep breath, he waited at the crossing, reminding himself not to do anything stupid.

Yami saw a tall, dark haired figure standing across the street. He leaned forward and gripped the edge of the bench tightly. He felt guilty but wasn't sure why. _This is wrong,_ Yami concluded. _I am physically attracted to this stranger I've only just met, but the person I really wish to pursue is out of my reach._

Hiro was getting closer with each step. Yami gritted his teeth and looked up at the tree leaves swaying gently in the breeze. _I should just be honest and attempt to clear any misunderstandings,_ Yami resolved. A long shadow fell across the ground before him and Yami looked up at Hiro, who was standing apprehensively before him, holding a tray of beautifully iced cupcakes.

Yami blinked in surprise, "Wow, those are.."

"For you," Kaiba interjected, "Try one?"

"Of course, thank you," Yami stammered nervously, gently picking a cupcake up from the tray. He stared at it in his hand, admiring the delicate swirl of frosting. "These are still warm!" Yami exclaimed happily. Kaiba sat down carefully beside Yami, balancing the tray on his lap, watching Yami stare at the pastry.

"Go ahead, eat it while they're still fresh, " Kaiba urged.

"I can't," Yami said playfully, "It's too pretty. Let me send a photo of this to Yugi!" And he pulled out his phone to snap photos of the pastry. Kaiba resisted the urge to severely roll his eyes, but was glad to see Yami enjoying the new phone so enthusiastically. Then he almost forgot to stay in character and ask, "Who's Yugi, again?"

Yami laughed heartily, "My twin, have you forgotten? You've met him briefly, twice!" He delicately bit into the cupcake and enjoyed the soft, milky flavor, warmly spreading through his mouth. There was a slightly bittersweet aftertaste, which surprised him, "What flavor are these?"

"Black milk tea cupcakes." Kaiba said simply, carefully watching Yami's face for a reaction.

"These are delicious and unique, I love the slight aftertaste of tea." Yami said seriously, gazing directly into Hiro's light brown eyes. Kaiba felt electrified, and looked away quickly, trying to quell his emotions.

"Glad you like them," Kaiba responded quietly, looking out across campus. A large group of people began walking by, it seemed like a class had just gotten out. He watched them intently, trying to pass the time as naturally as possible.

Yami's phone buzzed as Yugi responded to the photo, "Where did you get that?" he wrote.

"Hiro, from the bakery." Yami replied, tapping the screen quickly.

Kaiba glanced over at Yami, gleefully engrossed in his phone. "Seems like you're really enjoying your new phone." Kaiba said, feeling satisfied with himself.

"I.." Yami started, and then set his phone down carefully, "Yes, and, I want to apologize for my vagueness in our conversation earlier."

 _Damn right,_ Kaiba thought ferociously, _you better fucking explain yourself._ He softened his eyes and smiled at Yami, "I'm ready to listen."

Yami took a deep breath, "This phone was given to me by Seto Kaiba." He paused waiting for a reaction from Hiro.

Kaiba hesitated, then faked a gasp, " _The_ Seto Kaiba? So you and your group of friends, you guys are like, what, famous?"

Yami looked imploringly into Hiro's soft brown eyes, " _He's_ famous, and we've merely been dragged along for the ride. At least, that's how I feel." Yami looked down at his knees, gracefully sliding one leg over the other, "Do you see now? What I meant when I said there was a gap between him and I?"

Kaiba felt unnerved at this new information, this was making him feel extremely uncomfortable, "Well, if he gave this phone to you in person, that must mean something, right?" he asked tentatively.

Yami shook his head mutely, "No. It doesn't mean anything. I am merely just someone else in his eyes. He and I barely know each other. If anything, he believes I am my twin brother, Yugi. He refuses to acknowledge the differences between me and Yugi. He doesn't address me by my name, and furthermore, millions of women fawn over him because he is desirable." Yami felt tears starting to form at the corners of his eyes, and he mentally slapped himself. He forced himself to look out at the crowds of congregating students, willing himself not to show any emotion.

Kaiba felt strained, "You're upset because he confuses you with your twin, and that's understandable." He said, attempting to repress the feelings of guilt swelling up inside him.

Yami blinked and blinked, "Yes. And I've been a struggling to gain my own identity, one separate from Yugi, and it's been extremely difficult. I want a life of my own, and I wish to portray that towards Seto Kaiba. I haven't been very successful. "

"Why Seto Kaiba?" Kaiba responded, desperately trying to steer the conversation into safer waters.

"Because, I find him..desirable, but I think its best for everyone if I give up." Yami said quietly.

Kaiba felt as though he'd been hit with a heavy object, "Wait..., Wait, what?"

Yami turned around to face Hiro with glistening eyes, "I would like to get to know you better, Hiro, and you can disregard my previous statement." Yami attempted to laugh. "I'm silly, it's just a silly celebrity crush."

 _He likes me?! When? How?!_ Kaiba screamed mentally, attempting to keep his facial expressions neutral.

"How is it the 'best for everyone' for you to give up?" Kaiba said numbly, "How long has this been going on?"

"He's not well liked by any of my friends, and," Yami tilted his head, thinking, "I've had my eye on him for years."

 _YEARS?!_ Kaiba seethed internally, _and somehow I get to find out about this, now, dressed as a complete stranger. Should I tell him?_ Kaiba debated frantically _, Can I just tell him who I am, now? Time to do some damage control._

"If you've liked him for years, surely there was a time you could've let him know how you feel." Kaiba said, not quite believing the sentences coming out of his mouth. _I've never considered seriously dating a man before,_ he contemplated privately. He always imagined he'd end up with a woman one way or another.

"Hiro," Yami said, looking Kaiba full in the face, "There was never a time I could do that. Even now, I cannot approach him under the correct circumstances. Please, if what I said doesn't deter you, I wish to continue our...friendship. Can we do that?" Yami gazed beseechingly towards Kaiba. Yami's eyes were hypnotizing, Kaiba felt himself sway slightly under the pressure.

"I..-" Kaiba opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted with a loud squeals from a group of female students passing by.

"Ohmigosh, where did you get those?!" A slender brunette pointed at the tray resting on his lap. "Oh my god those are so cute, may we have one?" her friend added, tucking her hair seductively behind her ear. Kaiba felt his grip tighten on the sides of the tray. He stole a glance over at Yami, who was sitting still as a statue, shocked at the interruption.

Kaiba smirked and stood fluidly, holding the tray before him, "Please do. Tell all your friends, we're opening next week!"

The girls giggled delightfully as more people began gathering around them at the sight of free food. The slender brunette casually linked her arm though Kaiba's and threw her head back, "Free cupcakes!" she yelled shrilly, "The bakery is opening next week people!"

The group cheered appreciatively while Kaiba stood rigidly, holding the pan of cupcakes as people were actively photographing and sharing them. Kaiba felt vicious satisfaction as people crowded around, asking questions about the bakery.

Yami crossed his legs irritably, watching as the crowd of people thinned, the group of girls remained, hanging onto Hiro's every word about when to add milk to the mixture. He glared at the brunette and sulked.

 _I can't win,_ Yami thought ferociously. _There are clear, predictable strategies to win a duel, but when it comes to people..._ Yami shook his head in defeat and moodily checked his phone. There were no messages. He looked back up and realized the group of girls had left, and only the brunette remained. Yami caught strings of their conversation from a distance.

"...party! Want to come? Text me.." She flirted, swinging around on Kaiba's arm gleefully.

Kaiba recoiled hastily, tucking the empty cupcake tray under his free arm, "No thank you. I have plans. All week. I'm busy all the time."  
He stole another glance over at Yami who was looking murderously over at them from the bench.

 _I think I've made my point clear enough,_ Kaiba thought smugly. He shook the girl off his arm and said viciously, "I like men. Please let go of me."

"Oh..." she said nonplussed, "Well, do you like..me? You look compatible with women as well!"

Kaiba felt a migraine coming on. "Please," He said through gritted teeth, "I have to get back to work."

The girl threw him a glassy-eyed look, "When do you get off work?"

Kaiba wanted to kill something. Yami looked like he was about to leave, and Kaiba started to panic. Suddenly an idea struck him.

"Hey." He said, looking down at the girl on his arm, "I want to show you something. Come and see?"

"Oooo yes!" She squealed excitedly, gripping onto his arm even tighter, "I'm here, what is it?"

Kaiba smirked mischievously, "Follow me." And he led the girl over to the bench where Yami was sitting with his arms and legs tightly crossed, wearing his classic scowl.

"We're here." Kaiba announced, standing as close to Yami as he could manage.

The girl appeared confused, "What?"

"Yami, look at me," Kaiba commanded.

Yami complied despondently, tilting his head to look up at Hiro.

Kaiba seized this moment to boldly reached out, cupping Yami's face between his palms and brought his lips directly down onto his, gently, slowly melting into the welcoming wetness of Yami's mouth. Startled, Yami froze, and felt Hiro's lips wonderfully engulf his, and he opened his mouth slightly, feeling the tip of Hiro's tongue hungrily graze the roof of his mouth.

 _He doesn't taste like coffee today,_ Yami noted privately, opening his eyes slightly, enjoying the sight of Hiro's face against his, feeling his dark bangs brush against his forehead, sending shivers down his legs.

"Oh, my god. Ew." The girl said, disgusted, and she marched off indignantly.

Fiercely satisfied and extremely pent up from his earlier frustrations, Kaiba pulled Yami in closer towards him, threading his fingers through his spiky hair, greedily exploring his mouth with his tongue. He pulled away slightly and playfully bit Yami's lower lip, and then pushed his lips harder back onto his, never wanting to stop or pull away. Yami was lost, swimming in pleasure and he felt his neck straining upwards, as Hiro was pulling him higher into him. He couldn't breathe, his body was gushing with warmth. He couldn't breathe...he couldn't breathe.

Yami gasped as he pulled away from Hiro, breathless and stunned at the sudden show of affection. Kaiba was dismayed at the rapid loss of contact and struggled to compose himself, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away," Kaiba lied, unable to find the right words to convey his feelings.

"That's...that's quite alright." Yami panted, feeling his lips swell and tingle painfully with need.

Kaiba bent forward again and gently kissed Yami's forehead lightly, trailing his lips lightly down the bridge of Yami's nose. Yami shivered and opened his mouth again slightly, expecting another kiss, but Kaiba straightened up and turned to leave, "I need to head back. I have a few hours left on my shift, I'll message you."

"Oh, I see." Yami said simply, feeling numb. Kaiba resolutely turned around and headed back towards the bakery, quickly checking his phone, relieved to see he hadn't violated his break time limit.

He entered though the back door leading into the kitchen, thankful that it had been kept unlocked. He placed the empty cupcake tray in one of the large industrial sinks and grabbed his apron from the kitchen counter. He tied it on hastily and hurried out to the front where Jason was sweeping up cardboard debris off the floor.

"Welcome back," Jason said, glancing at the clock, "And on time too, what a surprise!"

Kaiba felt his face heat up, "Sir." He said respectfully.

"Here's a broom," The manager said blithely, handing him a spare brush and pan, "And no need to call me "sir", that feels weird considering how we're close in age. Call me Jason."

Kaiba took the broom and pan from Jason and began sweeping.

"So, not trying to be nosy...", Jason began, "But you and your boyfriend sure seem to love smooching on that bench there."

Kaiba wanted to die. Embarrassed, he began sweeping more vigorously, "I'm sorry you had to witness that." he mumbled under his breath.

"Nah, nah," Jason waved dismissively, "I don't care about that stuff, I don't mind. I'm kinda curious how you two met, considering how he's kind of a mini-celebrity!"

Kaiba felt his blood run cold, "What do you mean he's a mini-celebrity?"

"You don't know?!" Jason asked incredulously, "He's Yugi Motou, duelist extraordinaire, do you keep up with pop culture? Hmm maybe I shouldn't be the one to tell you this, if you didn't know," Jason said guiltily.

Kaiba brushed a pile of debris into his pan and emptied it in an adjacent garbage bag, his mind frantically scrambling. "Well..we..met, online." Kaiba said lamely.

"Classic." Jason grinned, "He's a looker. Hang onto him!"

"What?" Kaiba said, feeling slightly suspicious.

"Oh don't worry, no competition here," Jason laughed heartily, "I'm just saying he's pretty attractive, for a guy. Y'know, big eyes, nice hair..all that.." Jason eyed Hiro playfully, "I like women, it's my niece you gotta worry about. She's a huge fan of Yugi's."

Kaiba felt his mouth fall open in surprise, "Oh? She likes him?"

"Oh yea," Jason said, dumping a large pile of debris off his pan and into the garbage, "She's got a poster of him and everything, likes watching him play, I don't think she actually cares much about what the cards do. Didn't know Yugi was gay, I guess I shouldn't be the one to tell her."

Kaiba felt his mind spiraling, "Well, that's not Yugi."

Jason wiped his brow and looked at Hiro with a strange expression, "Kid, I'm sorry if he told you otherwise, but that's who he is. I feel bad for bringing it up, I thought you'd know."

 _I understand why Yami feels offended when he's mistaken for Yugi_ , Kaiba glowered privately.

"But speaking of my niece, she'll be coming in and helping out! So it'll be us three, she'll be on the registers, you're on baking duty, and I'll run back and forth, help out wherever I'm needed. I run a tight ship. " Jason said excitedly.

Kaiba nodded, continuing to sweep in silence. He felt his phone buzz in his apron pocket. He pulled it out and checked the screen, pleased to see it was a message from Yami, "Lunch at 2:30, can you make it?"

Kaiba glanced at the clock and realized time and flown by really fast, his shift was almost over.

"Garbage time!" Jason sang, "Grab those bags and throw it out! I'm going to refresh with some water." He turned and headed back into the kitchen.

Kaiba quickly replied to the text, "I can make it. Location?" He stowed the phone back in his apron and dragged 3 large bags of garbage out through the back door, passing by Jason who was scrolling through his phone, sipping water while sitting on the steel counters.

Kaiba flung the garbage over the edge of the dumpster and headed back inside, his phone buzzed again. "'Wait for me out front, I'll come get you :)" Yami replied. Kaiba felt his chest tingle with warmth as he shoved his phone back into his pocket and headed back inside to finish his shift.

* * *

Yami slung his bag over his shoulder and hurried across campus. He heard a yell from behind him, "Yamiii!" He turned around, surprised to see it was Joey and Anzu.

"Hey, " Yami said lightly, "You caught me just as I was heading to our meeting spot with Yugi."

"We'll go together!" Joey exclaimed, throwing an arm around his shoulder roughly, making him lose balance. Yami stumbled forward slightly and stayed silent, contemplating how to casually invite Hiro to their lunch outing.

They spotted Yugi talking to a group of people, they waved at him from a distance, "We're here Yugi!" Anzu called, waving him over.

Yugi flashed a thumbs-up and headed towards them. Yami felt his stomach dip down with nervousness. "Yami!" Yugi exclaimed happily, giving him a meaningful hug.

"Aibou," Yami said slowly, "Hiro is joining us for lunch, would that be alright?" He glanced around the group and Anzu nodded whereas Joey looked confused. "Who?" he said loudly.

"The tall, dark-haired bakery guy, right? No problem! I'm driving." Anzu said happily.

"Alright!" Yugi said, looking at Yami carefully, "How do you want to do this?"

Yami felt himself blush lightly, "I asked him to wait at the front of the bakery."

"Nice, we can just drive by and pick him up real quick!" Anzu exclaimed, pulling the keys out of her purse.

"I'll walk to the bakery and meet you there," Yami said quickly, hoping to catch a few private moments with Hiro.

"Gotcha." Yugi said casually, "Let's go!"

Yami watched as the trio parted ways with him and headed towards the parking lot. He adjusted the strap on his bag and rushed in the opposite direction, "I'm on my way." Yami texted, half-running at the same time.

Kaiba stood expectantly by the edge of the crossing, glancing around, and saw a slender spiky haired figure walking swiftly towards him. His heart leapt up to his throat and he felt a strange feeling consuming him.

 _Why am I entertaining this? What the hell am I doing?_ Kaiba berated himself, unsure of why he continued to respond to Yami against his will.

Yami ran up beside Hiro, bent over, panting slightly, "I'm glad.." Yami managed to get out, between breaths.

Something possessed Kaiba to reach out and lightly brush the spiky blond bangs out of Yami's face. Yami felt his breath catch as he felt Hiro's long, slender fingers brush across his forehead, sending a shiver through his body. Almost instinctively, Yami reached out and daringly wrapped his arms around Hiro's slender waist, pulling him into an embrace.

Kaiba was astonished at the sudden warmth, and he gently placed his hands steadily on Yami's back, feeling Yami's heart pounding loudly against his chest.

 _Oh,_ Kaiba thought astounded, _What is this? A hug?_  
  
"Are you alright?" Kaiba asked, tentatively, looking down at the mass of spiky hair pressed up against his chest.

Yami said nothing and gripped the fabric of Hiro's shirt tighter, feeling his chest hurt from the pounding of his heart.

Kaiba took this as a good sign and enveloped Yami in his arms tightly, burying his face into the nape of his neck, feeling his spiky hair tickle his nose. Yami felt the air leave his lungs as Hiro pulled him into a crushing embrace, his breath tickled his ear as Hiro bent his head down and nuzzled his face into Yami's neck.

Yami laughed a little, "Ahhaha that tickles, Hiro!" he cried, squirming around in Hiro's arms, enjoying the strength of his embrace.

Kaiba released Yami, feeling somewhat dizzy, unsure if it was from exhaustion or hunger. They stood there for a few moments, looking at each other.

A car pulled up on the curbside and a familiar voice shouted, "Get in! We're hungry!"

Yami smiled warmly and walked towards the car, leaving Kaiba standing there in a daze. Kaiba quickly snapped out of it and walked up to the open car door, the blissful feeling slipping away the closer he got towards the car.

To his surprise, the passenger seat was empty; Joey, Yugi and Yami crowded happily together in the back seat. "Sit!" Anzi insisted, "I figured you didn't want to smush in the back because you're so tall, " She laughed lightheartedly. Kaiba's chest constricted, he felt touched, it was a thoughtful gesture. He ducked his head and climbed into the car, shutting the door firmly.

"Ayyeee let's go eat some meat!" Joey yelled from behind him. Kaiba didn't even flinch; he was starving and couldn't agree more.

Anzu pursed her lips, "Joey, the guest always gets to choose. You can't always dictate where we get to eat." Yugi groaned, "Please Anzu can we just go?"

"No." She said firmly, and looked at Hiro, "Well?" She asked expectantly. Kaiba felt himself stiffen with surprise, not accustomed to preferential treatment from the group. "Ah, oh..uhm, meat, would be great." Kaiba stumbled on his words, trying his best to sound clueless.

"Fuck yea, _eat it_ , Anzu." Joey cried, leaning forward in his seat. Kaiba felt a laugh inadvertently escape his throat, and instantly felt terrified, worried it may have sounded rude, but laughter was echoing around the car.

"Meat it is." Anzu said as she floored the gas, and they took off.

Kaiba felt surreal, what was going on?! There was a pleasant atmosphere in the car, a deliciously warm breeze whipped around the car, blowing reassuringly through his hair, laughter from the backseat floated around him, and the sun shone warmly from behind scattered clouds. He leaned back in his seat and took a deep breath, feeling himself relax.

 _This is so nice_ , Kaiba thought deliriously, _or maybe I'm just exhausted which is why I'm being more tolerant._

To his slight disappointment, the car ride ended sooner than he would've liked. They pulled up in front of a large burger establishment. Yugi and Joey leaped enthusiastically out of the car and ran inside, not waiting for anyone else.

"Wow, you losers! Way to wait for your DRIVER! You're all walking home!" Anzu yelled, slamming her door shut and rushing out of the car, forgetting to lock the doors.

Kaiba sat in his seat, stunned at the sudden shift in attitude. _Were they always this murderous when food was involved?_ Kaiba mused as he stepped out the car, making sure to press the 'lock' button on his side of the door.

"Oh, you've got it?" Yami asked, surprised, "Thank you for doing that, I'm usually the one who takes care of it."

Kaiba shrugged, "No problem, let's go inside, I'm starving."  
Yami leaned playfully against the car, "Me too, but, not for food, if you get what I'm saying."

Kaiba blinked several times, unable to process what was happening before him.

"I'm saying I want...something other than food, in..my..mouth." Yami said, leaning seductively against Hiro.

Kaiba felt Yami's weight press into him and he threw caution to the wind. He snaked his arms around Yami's slender hips and pressed his lips against the soft curves of Yami's collarbone. He felt Yami gasp slightly and Kaiba felt himself losing self control. Kaiba gently grazed his teeth against Yami's skin and felt Yami quiver. That encouraged Kaiba to trail his lips up Yami's neck and he flicked his tongue out softly, licking the curve of Yami's jawbone.

"No," Yami whispered faintly, "Come up here..."

 _Gladly_ , Kaiba thought blurrily, roughly kissing him, and forcefully pressing Yami up against the car door. Yami felt a sharp pain as his lower back bumped against the curvature of the car door handle. Yami felt a pleasurable, warm, hardness pressing into his waist. Excited, Yami boldly trailed his fingers around Hiro's body, to lightly brush against the erection that was fighting to escape from under Hiro's belt.

Kaiba felt his entire body shudder violently with pleasure as Yami's slender fingers trailed over his boner. _Oh god..._ , Kaiba groaned internally, but he forced himself to remember that they were in a public area. He peeled himself off of Yami and took a few steps backwards, gasping for breath. This was a dangerous situation. It seemed the more time he spent with Yami, the easier it was to start, and the harder it was to stop.

"Hey, come back here," Yami insisted, approaching Hiro eagerly with his arms outstretched.

"No," Kaiba gasped, feeling a cold sweat run down his back, "No more, please. Not here. I don't think I'll be able to stop as easily."

Yami was taken aback by the sudden honesty, "Of course..and," He looked up shyly at Hiro, blushing deeply, "...And I feel the same way."

Kaiba took a long, shaky breath, as blood pounded through his head, leaving a light ringing in his ears. "Let's go eat." He said quietly, and they headed inside.

The group was already seated with their full orders, energetically devouring their heavy portions of burgers and fries.

"What took you guys so long?" Yugi asked, in between bites, "The line was taking forever so we ordered for you guys, hope that's okay!"

"We were checking the doors on the car and...just talking." Yami said quickly, glancing surreptitiously at Hiro for confirmation on this lie. Kaiba was so hungry, he didn't care who said what. He sat down at the empty seat beside Yugi, grabbed the nearest burger he could reach and unwrapped it fervently, not caring if he was about to eat the shittiest burger in the world.

"Wait wait!" Joey cried, shoving a large orange bottle at him, "You gotta add this sauce in there, bro, it's worth it, trust me."

"Fine," Kaiba snapped, forgetting for a moment who he was supposed to be. He grabbed the bottle, peeled the bun off his burger and callously drenched the meat with the bright orange sauce. He reconstructed his burger and took a large bite, expecting the worst. But, it was surprisingly delicious! The meat was evenly seasoned, all the wet ingredients were fresh, and the sauce kicked in with a sweet, round spice at the end of his pallet.

"Oh, wow," Kaiba groaned appreciatively, "What's in this sauce?"

"Right?" Yugi nodded responsively, "Wish we could buy it, but its their 'secret house sauce', so it's not for sale."

"I see," Kaiba said, taking excessively large bites of his burger and finishing it off readily reaching for a second one.

"You'll like this one," Yami said, handing him a burger in a purple wrapper, "This one has a double-layered fried beef patty."

Kaiba couldn't believe his ears, and eagerly accepted the burger from Yami, "Thank you." He said, his stomach grumbling loudly.

"Eat up!" Anzu encouraged, "We've yet to try the whole menu!"

Kaiba repeated the ritual of drizzling his burger with orange sauce and enthusiastically took another large bite, trying to discern the ingredients of the mysterious condiment. Aside from the heavy beef flavor, Kaiba managed to pinpoint a few key flavors, a sharp spice, a deep sweetness, and a dull zest. He quickly pulled out his phone to take note of the flavors as quickly as he could remember them.

"Whatcha doin'," Joey asked, his mouth full of fries, "Touching your phone while eating is gross, man."

"Agree," Hiro nodded, "You'll thank me later, I promise." He shoved his phone back in his pocket and resumed eating. He glanced over at Yami who was delicately eating fries off the tray, apparently lost in thought.

"Hey Hiro," Yugi said suddenly.

"Hm?" Kaiba responded, startled, and he tried to swallow his food as quickly as possible to prepare himself for the onslaught of personal questions.

"Your cupcakes earlier this morning looked really nice! Just wanted to tell you that." Yugi said happily, "It's either that, or Yami's phone camera is really high quality."

Anzu laughed, "It's probably both! Man I could use a new phone..." She pulled out her phone and set it on the counter for everyone to see. The entire screen was cracked and the edges were chipped, missing bits of paint and plastic.

Kaiba unwittingly choked on his food, and coughed. Yami thumped him on the back, and handed him water.

Anzu looked offended, "What, it's not _that_ bad is it?"

Kaiba had never seen such a sad looking piece of garbage before. "Does that still work?!" He asked skeptically, slowly sipping his water, "Yes, you do need a new one!"

Joey and Yugi laughed at him.  
"What." Hiro said defensively.

"It's on it's last legs but yea, she still works!" Anzu chirped, caressing the phone lovingly. "She's been through a lot with me."

"Ask Kaiba for a new one." Hiro said coolly, starting on his third burger. "Wheel-..Joey please pass the mystery sauce." Kaiba caught himself just in time.

"Ask Kaiba for...a new one?!" Anzu said shrilly, "Where did that come from?!"

 _Oh shiiit_ , Kaiba thought, and he realized Yami probably didn't tell anyone, aside from Yugi, about the new phone from Seto Kaiba.

Yami shot Hiro a frantic look, and Kaiba tried his best to look apologetic. "I'm sorry," he started, looking directly at Yami, "I didn't realize it was such a sensitive..topic."

"What's going on?!" Anzu demanded, "Explain!"

"Yami, received a new phone from Kaiba yesterday." Yugi said delicately.

Joey started coughing and sputtering into his food, "Wh-what.." he choked, "Since when was that d-bag known for his generosity!?"

Kaiba felt himself grind his teeth inadvertently.

"Exactly." Anzu nodded gravely, "I bet it comes with a price. What were his conditions, Yami? I can't believe you did that! That's dangerous you know!"

"What's wrong with keeping a free phone from a billionaire?" Hiro asked casually, dreading the response.

"Because," Anzu said seriously, looking directly into Hiro's dark brown eyes, "Things don't work that way with Seto Kaiba. It's always a give-and-take with that guy. The words 'favor' and 'generosity' are not in his personal dictionary. Before you know it, he'll come knocking on your door asking for something in return."

 _Am I really like that?_ Kaiba thought faintly.

Yami was turning redder by the second, "Anzu is right, I shouldn't have accepted this expensive phone, and even you said this to me earlier today too, Hiro!" Yami cried, his eyes tearing up.

 _Oh god what have I done_ , Kaiba panned, _I just turned this fairly decent lunch into a shitfest._

Yugi, sensing an imminent break-down, attempted to calm the group by saying, "Okay don't worry guys, it's not that big of a deal. Yami, if you're going to see Kaiba to return the phone, we'll _all_ go with you."

"Yea. We're all going." Anzu nodded in agreement. "Strength in numbers. He can't bully you if we're all there."

Joey made gurgling noises of discontent as he sucked on his straw loudly. Yami hung his head and leaned back moodily in his seat.

Kaiba felt the food coming up his stomach, burning his esophagus. _Oh fuck, oh shit_ , Kaiba thought frantically. _I've just created more problems than I can solve._  
  
He put his burger down, having lost his appetite, "When will you guys be going?"

"No offense, Hiro, but we'd rather you stay out of this." Yugi said gently, "We have a bit of a...history with Seto Kaiba, so the less strangers that show up, the better. Please understand."

Kaiba felt slightly taken aback, "No, of course, I don't want to get involved," he said quickly and he glanced at Yami who was still sitting silently with his head hanging.

"Yami!" Yugi said with surprising sternness, "When would you like to return the phone?"

Yami didn't move. "Yami?" Anzu asked, looking extremely concerned. Kaiba felt his guilt mounting higher and higher as the minutes ticked by.

"Tonight. We'll go tonight." Yami said, deadpanned.

"How will we know he's even going to be there?! How will we know he's not on some business trip in France or something?" Joey said desperately, trying to get out of it.

"I'll ask Mokuba." Yugi said resolutely, pulling out his phone, which, Kaiba noticed, was also an older model.

"He's not going to like that we're gonna gang up on his biiiig brothhherrr," Joey said in a mocking voice.

"He'll understand that this is a serious matter, and that it won't happen again," Anzu said sadly.

Yugi groaned and started tapping on his phone, muttering. "This would be so much easier if we were actually friends with Kaiba."

"Yea, because the world works that way," Anzu said sarcastically.

Kaiba found it was getting more and more difficult to breathe.

"Is be-friending Seto Kaiba difficult?" Hiro asked, trying to save face.

Joey scoffed, "Pulling teeth would be easier than makin' friends with that guy. He's spit in our faces more times than I can count. He's self-serving and won't help us out unless there's something in it for him."

Kaiba felt his thoughts reeling, recounting all the moments he and Wheeler had thrown punches at each other.

"I'm sorry," Yami whispered softly from beside Hiro.

Kaiba felt an enormous bubble of guilt and sorrow sink like a rock in his stomach. He had no idea his actions caused this much distress.

"What! No! This is NOT your fault!" Anzu cried.

"Yea, it really isn't Yami." Yugi said distractedly, texting Mokuba.

"Bro, don't take me seriously but, this is totally your fault. And I totally would've taken a free phone from Kaiba." Joey grumbled.

Kaiba was suddenly struck with a golden idea, but it would take some stealth to carry it out.

"Joey, do you have a favorite color?" Hiro asked.

"What? Oh, it's green." Joey responded glumly, "Why?"

"No reason," Kaiba said desperately, "Just trying to get to know you better, and any topic concerning Seto Kaiba is depressing."

"Mmhmm you can say that again," Anzu said, "And my favorite color is piiink, not that anyone cares," she sang.

"What about Tristan, and Valentine, and you, Yugi?" Kaiba pressed.

"Blue, white, black...", Anzu listed carelessly, "Serenity likes brown, what a weirdo."

Kaiba committed all of these to memory and said, "Thanks."

Yami glanced at Hiro suspiciously, "And you can suddenly remember everyone else's name, but somehow, earlier today, you didn't know who Yugi was?"

Kaiba was ready for this. "Matching names to faces is much easier than just hearing about the names," he countered, lying with ease. "I remembered Anzu the moment I saw her."

Anzu beamed, and replied, "I'm the same way!"

Kaiba smiled genuinely at her. _Thanks for backing up my lie,_ he thought secretly.

"Okay, confirmed." Yugi said emptily, "Mokuba says Kaiba will be back sometime past dinner, so in a few more hours, we'll grab the gang, and storm the fortress that is Kaiba Corp."

A gloom settled over the table as the group moodily picked at the remnants of their food. Kaiba couldn't take it anymore, he felt like throwing up.

"I've got to go, I have a project that's due," Kaiba said, lying steadily. "Thank you so much for the food, here, let me pay you back."

"Nope." Anzu insisted, shaking her head vigorously, "First timers never pay. This is Joey's tab, because the DICKtator always pays."

"Gurlgh." Joey mumbled, "And I'm not even gonna argue. Today and tomorrow are gonna suck because of our Kaiba visit, I already know it."

"Oh," Kaiba said. He got up to leave, and made a mental note to repay Joey, as his debts towards the Yugi-gang were accruing.

"I'll drop you off at wherever you need to be," Anzu offered. "We're all done eating here, right gang?"

Joey and Yugi nodded glumly, Yami remained motionless. "Okay!" Anzu said, attempting to sound cheerful, and the group headed out towards the car.

The car ride back was distressing, as a suffocating silence blanketed the car, a giant contrast to their earlier car ride. Kaiba was feeling more unnerved by the second. He felt as though he were sitting on a million fire ants. He felt like apologizing, but he didn't quite know how to.

"A left turn here, please." Hiro said quietly, and Anzu quietly complied. She pulled up directly in front of his student apartment and he slowly climbed out of the passenger seat.

"Thank you. Really." Hiro said sincerely, leaning in through the open window, his black hair ruffling in the light breeze.

"Next time, it won't be like this." Yugi promised with a small smile. "Please join us again, maybe tomorrow, okay?"

Hiro nodded, and leaned back out of the car window and watched as they drove out of sight.

Sighing heavily, he pulled out his company phone from his back pocket and powered it on. He had a dozen missed calls, mostly from Mokuba, and a few texts from his secretary.

He called Mokuba back, bracing himself. "Hey big brother," Mokuba said, sounding serious.

"Hey Mokuba," Kaiba responded, in what he hoped was a light-hearted tone.

"Trouble big bro, the Yugi-gang wants to pay you a visit tonight after dinner. Please make time, okay? This is really important."

Kaiba felt annoyed, "What is this about Mokuba? You can tell me."

"A-actually I'm not sure if I can, Seto, I don't think it's my place." Mokuba stammered.

Kaiba felt himself lose his temper, _Why is everyone tip-toeing around me like I'm was some kind of bomb?!_

"Mokuba, I know this is about a stupid phone. What is the real problem here?" he snapped.

"I don't know!" Mokuba yelled, "And you had to go and do something stupid like give Yami a phone. Why would you do that?! Everyone wants to know why, including me!"

"Because, I felt like it." Kaiba said through clenched teeth, "Is that so hard to believe?!"

"Actually, yea! It IS hard to believe, Seto!" Mokuba shouted, "You never just give stuff away for free, especially to someone like Yami!"

"What do you mean _'especially to someone like Yami'_." He growled ferociously at his brother.

"Well," Mokuba hesitated, "You're always calling him Yugi, actually now that I think about it, did you get them confused?! You know you gave a phone to YAMI right? NOT Yugi?!"

Kaiba hung up the phone in a rage. _Of course I know who the fuck I gave it to_ , he fumed and he shot a furious text at his driver to pick him up.

* * *

The driver pulled into large expansive driveway of the Kaiba mansion.

"Sir, we have arrived," announced the driver.

"Thank you." Kaiba said absentmindedly, texting Mokuba.

The driver sat in stunned silence, and decided he had misheard something. Seto Kaiba never said please or thank you, to anyone about anything.

"Where are you right now?" Kaiba wrote to Mokuba. He couldn't have Mokuba seeing him walk into the house looking like a complete stranger.

"In the lounge, I'm playing a video game, why?" Mokuba responded after a few minutes.

"Just checking to see if you're home," Kaiba replied and tucked his phone away in his brown leather bag. He stepped gracefully out of the car and walked into the mansion, lost in thought. Kaiba entered his room, made sure to softly close the door behind him, and he leaned against it, feeling extremely exhausted from the day's events.

 _No time to think about it too much_ , Kaiba thought, _time to make amends._

He dialed his secretary and she picked up after a few rings, "Mr. Kaiba!" She said, sounding alert. "How may I be of service?"

"I need at least 20 of the newest phones brought to my residence, by tonight, and please prepare a wide array of colors." Kaiba said, rubbing his temples tiredly.

"O-of course," The secretary stammered, unsure if she misheard him, did Seto Kaiba just include the word 'please' in a sentence? "Anything else, Mr. Kaiba?" she asked politely.

"Yes, one more thing if it's not too much trouble," Kaiba added, racking his brain for the name of the burger establishment he had just dined at, "Call the BurgerBee's establishment and purchase a $1,000 gift card. Please have it delivered to my residence, along with the phones. "

"Y-yes, r-right away!" The secretary sputtered. She most definitely had not misheard him. Seto Kaiba was being a polite human being on the phone. She hung up as quickly as possible, dismissing it as a rouge incident.

Kaiba threw the company phone across the floor in disgust, and stood up. He fished the apartment keys and personal phone out of his pockets carefully placed them onto his desk. Kaiba took one last look at himself in the mirror, carefully removed his brown contacts, and stepped reluctantly into the shower.

* * *

Yami laid on his back, staring at the ceiling absentmindedly, his new phone laying on his chest.

He decided to use the phone to it's fullest while still having it in his possession. He sent a text to Hiro, saying, "I'm upset." And left it at that, waiting for a response.

Kaiba was in the shower, and didn't hear his phone buzz on his desk.

Mokuba ran up the stairs, after seeing the second car had returned in the driveway. "Seto!" he called, peering into the room, "I'm hungry, Seto, what's for dinner?" He heard the water running and decided to come back later. Just has he turned to leave, Mokuba spotted a phone buzzing on Seto's desk and walked over to it curiously. It was a text from an unlabeled number, it read, "I'm upset."

A million thoughts and possibilities ran through Mokuba's head. He picked up the phone and quickly figured out Seto's password, it wasn't hard.

"Why are you upset?" Mokuba typed at the mysterious number.

"Oh, you know why." The sender responded cryptically.

"Okay," Mokuba wrote. "How can I make it right?"

The phone was silent for a long minute. While waiting for a response, Mokuba scrolled up and saw the previous messages included, "See you soon, for lunch at 2:30." as the first text.  
Intrigued, Mokuba sat down on the floor, staring at the phone, eagerly waiting for a response.

 _Seto has a secret friend!_ Mokuba thought furtively. _Maybe it's a new girlfriend!_  
  
The phone buzzed as the unknown sender wrote, "Send me a photo of you right now :) That would make me feel better."

 _Oh my god!_ Mokuba gasped to himself, _Seto has a girlfriend!_

He heard the water shut off and Mokuba frantically began deleting the messages he had sent, feeling a little guilty. He left the last text at, "I'm upset", and hoped that Seto wouldn't respond until much later. Mokuba set the phone quietly down on the desk and slowly tip-toed out of the room.

Kaiba stepped out of the shower and stepped into a set of athletic wear which he rarely wore, but tonight, he found himself in dull spirits, and in the mood for comfortable clothing.

He picked up his phone from his desk and was pleased to see a text from Yami, but his spirits fell when the text read, "I'm upset."

He quickly responded with, "I'm sorry, I wish I could help. I'll make it up to you tomorrow!"

Mokuba knocked on the door, "Seto?" he said timidly.

"Hey there kiddo," Kaiba said, setting the phone down on the desk and walking over to the door to embrace his younger brother. Mokuba was surprised by the hug, "Seto, I'm hungry. What's for dinner?"

Kaiba shut the lights off in his study, "There's some spaghetti in the fridge. I brought it back from a conference. It's pretty good, let's go eat some of that."

Excited, Mokuba grabbed Kaiba's hand and led him down the stairs, "Yay! And then you'll help me through this really hard section in my video game? I can't seem to beat this level without help."

"Yes, we can do that." Kaiba said warmly, scooping Mokuba up in his arms and carrying him down the remaining flight of stairs.

* * *

The phone buzzed on Yami's chest. He checked it excitedly, expecting a sexy photograph from Hiro, but instead it was text, reading "I'm sorry, I wish I could help. I'll make it up to you tomorrow!"

Frustrated and confused, Yami responded with a playful, "You better make it up to me tomorrow then!" And turned over on his side, feeling depressed. He heard Yugi enter the room and he shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep.

"Yami." Yugi whispered softly, "Yami, it's time for us to go. Wake up."

Yami slowly opened his eyes and sat up reluctantly. "Yea, I'm ready."

"And you might want to delete everything on it before you hand it over to Kaiba," Yugi added solemnly. "It's only polite."

Yami felt the pit of dread rise from his stomach and into his chest, "I-I don't want to do that."

"Then I'll do it." Yugi said, holding his hand out.

"No," Yami shook his head, "I'll do it. Thank you Aibou."

Yugi sighed and pulled Yami into a tight hug. "This sucks, I know. C'mon, everyone is waiting downstairs."

Yami followed Yugi down the stairs silently and exited the game shop where the gang was waiting, sitting by their cars and motorcycles, looking grave.

"Well, let's do this." Tristan yawned. "Honestly, not the best night ever, but not the worst night ever." Yami wordlessly got into the passenger seat of Anzu's vehicle and they sped off into the night, towards the towering buildings in the city.

* * *

"Seto, behind you!" Mokuba exclaimed, wildly pressing the game control buttons, "Look out!"

"I got it," Kaiba said excitedly, keenly fighting his way around a creature on the screen.

The doorbell rang and echoed throughout the monstrous house. "Oh!" Mokuba cried, "It's.."

"I know." Kaiba sighed and stood up resolutely as Mokuba paused the game. "Let's welcome them in."

Mokuba looked up at Seto with a confused look, _Nii-san sure is using some strange words today_ , he thought.

Kaiba waved the butler away from the doorway. Mokuba was further intrigued by this behavior. "Why are we opening the door ourselves?" he whispered up at Seto anxiously.

"Don't worry about this Mokuba. I'll take care of this, come here." Kaiba scooped his younger brother up in his arms and quietly turned the doorknob gently and pulled the door open. Before him stood the Yugi-gang, strangely well-dressed, and all wearing frowns. He felt Mokuba's arms tighten around his neck.

Kaiba did his best to appear confused, "What are you all doing here this time of night?"

Unsurprisingly, Yugi spoke up first, "May we come in, Kaiba? There's a serious matter we need to discuss."

Kaiba felt himself slip back into his old personality, and he snorted haughtily, "Does it need to be with _all_ of you?" His eyes landed on Joey who was glaring at him like a bloodhound, and at Tristan who was cracking his knuckles threateningly, and at Yami, who seem to be looking past him like he didn't exist. Anzu was glowering at him with a deep hatred, and suddenly Kaiba felt very afraid. The warm, friendly encounters from that afternoon disappeared in a flash. He set Mokuba back down on his feet and said firmly, "Go to your room kiddo."

"But..!" Mokuba protested, but then stopped when he realized there was an uneasy silence between the Yugi-gang and Seto. He trudged upstairs to his room and closed the door loudly.

"Now, may we come in?" Yugi asked again, unsmiling and stern.

Kaiba sighed and relented. "Come in. We'll talk upstairs in the privacy of my study."

"Ooo we're going up to his fancy _'study_ '" Joey said mockingly. Kaiba felt himself clench his fists on impulse, but the flare of anger he usually experienced, following one of Wheeler's snide comments, seemed to be delayed.

"Shut. Up. Joey." Anzu muttered.

"No." Joey said, his voice echoing loudly throughout the enormous house. "I'm not gonna shuddup."

The group followed Kaiba up the grand staircase and they waited for him to whirl around in his usual Kaiba fashion and start a row with Joey, but all was quiet. Kaiba continued ascending the stairs calmly as if he'd heard nothing. Put-off by the strange behavior, the group continued following Kaiba up the grand staircase.

He pulled open the wide double oak doors to his study and propped them open. "Enter." He stated. Unnerved, the gang filed into the study and Kaiba tried to make eye contact with Yami as he walked by, but Yami was looking past everything, almost as if he wasn't there.

Trying to quell his uneasiness at what he was about to do, Kaiba shut the doors quietly behind him with a flourish and strode confidently to the front of the room, facing the group.

"I would like to speak first, if you don't mind, Kaiba." Yugi said softly.

Kaiba fought with himself internally before complying, "Go ahead." He said stiffly.

"We were amazed and...well, suspicious when Yami started using a new phone, which he got, from you." Yugi said pointedly. "And we're here to return it. No strings attached."

Kaiba crossed his arms firmly across his chest, "What do you mean by that?" he asked coldly.

"It means he doesn't want it." Duke said loudly, speaking for the first time, startling Kaiba.

"Well," Kaiba said, clenching and un-clenching his fists, "I'd like to hear that from him personally."

"Here it from who?" Yugi challenged him, "Why don't you say his name?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Kaiba saw Joey elbow Yami. Yami remained motionless, and Kaiba noticed Yami's eyes watering at the corners. _Oh no,_ Kaiba realized as he recognized this all too familiar look, _he's about to cry._

Kaiba took a deep breath and put on his detached businessman act, "Look, Look, guys. I know, his name is Yami. Honestly, you all take me so seriously sometimes, it makes me laugh!" Kaiba threw his arms out flamboyantly and laughed loudly, attempting to throw them off guard. Well it seem like it was working, they were all looking at him like he had gone insane.

"Are we not supposed to take you seriously?" Anzu said, looking strangely at him.

Kaiba forced himself to continue laughing loudly, like it was joke only he could understand.

"Stop laughing and just tell us what you want to say, you jerk!" Mai said angrily.

Kaiba instantly sobered up, and the sudden change in character unnerved the Yugi-gang even further.

"Okay, you got me." Kaiba said, and he walked over to one of his large cabinets and pulled out a large, heavy box. He set it down carefully on his desk and lifted the lid with a grand gesture. The Yugi-gang was still staring at him like he was a lunatic.

Kaiba slowly unpacked the box, taking out stacks of new mobile phones, still in their white ribbon-topped boxes, each marked with a unique colored sticker. He arranged them together magnificently into a neat pyramid on his desk and threw the empty box aside. To his immense satisfaction, he saw Yami's eyes widen considerably. Having seen these before, he knew what was in the boxes.

"What is this." Tristan snapped, "Why aren't you _talking_ , man. Dude, say something."

"Yami knows what it is." Kaiba said softly in amusement. Yami was shocked to hear his name come from Kaiba's mouth.

The group turned towards Yami, surprised. "If this is a game, it isn't funny." Yugi insisted.

"They're phones." Yami whispered, barely audible, the group became instantly silent.

"Hon, speak up, I didn't hear you," Mai said, frowning.

Yami looked at Kaiba pointedly, "What is the meaning of this Kaiba?"

Kaiba grinned widely, "This is, exactly, what it looks like. Help yourselves." He said, feeling a strange, surreal parallel between this experience, and to his experience as Hiro, offering plates of cupcakes.

The group stood there silently and blinked at him. Kaiba stared back at them, wondering if he hadn't made himself clear.

"I said.." Kaiba started.

"We heard you," Joey interrupted. "We just tryna figure out what the catch is."

Kaiba felt despair slowly creeping up on him, perhaps it was too late to mend relations with the Yugi-gang. "There is, no catch. These are all my gifts, to you." he said slowly. "Please. You'd be doing me a huge favor, taking these off my hands."

"Oh so its about doing YOU a favor now?" Tristan said loudly.

"Gifts?" Serenity echoed incredulously.

Kaiba turned his back on the group, unable to face them as his emotions began to amplify. "Please." he repeated, staring out at the city lights until they started to burn afterimages in his vision. In that moment, Kaiba was secretly wishing he could just unobtrusively transform into Hiro, beginning to realize how difficult it was to interact with group as himself, as Seto Kaiba.

"Guys," Anzu whispered, "I think he's being serious."

"What do you mean?" Yugi whispered back, "He just said _not_ to take him so seriously."

"Think about it for a second," Anzu breathed, "He said, ' _please_ '"

"Oh my god you're right!" Serenity said, at a normal volume.

"Shhh!" Joey hissed, "Great, now maybe we can just grab'em and run."

Kaiba whirled around, startling the group. "If you want to grab them and run, you may end up with a color you despise, Wheeler, be my guest."

Joey opened and closed his mouth stupidly. "Wut. They come in COLORS?!"

Yami's interest was also piqued, this option was not presented to him earlier, why the sudden change?

"Yes. What color do you want?" Kaiba asked, fully knowing the answer.

"Green?" Joey said tentatively. Kaiba expertly lifted out an elegant, ribbon-topped box with a green sticker from the large stack on his desk and placed it on the corner of his desk, closest to Joey.

He was shaking his head in disbelief. "Bro, are you seeing this right now?" He said, addressing Tristan.

"Yeup." Tristan said, not taking his eyes off Kaiba. "I am watching him. Quick, grab it, it might be a trap."

Joey crashed forwards onto the desk, clumsily grabbed the box, then retreated back to safety.

"Oh my god!" Mai exclaimed, "Can you not?!"

Everyone crowded around Joey and the sleek, white ribbon topped box. "Open it!" Serenity urged. "It might be empty." she said, throwing a Kaiba a dirty look. Unfazed, Kaiba stood his ground, feeling relieved as the group's hostile mood seemed to be melting.

The group ooo-ed and aah-ed at the sleek phone, which was an exact replica of the one Yami had, but was tinted with a dark, forest green.

"Holy shit, holy shit." Joey chanted, holding the phone before him like a precious object. Yami stood, frozen in place, shocked. Did this mean he could keep his phone? The group was now chattering excitedly amongst themselves.

Yami's gaze drifted over towards Kaiba, who was staring right at him. Surprised, his mouth dropped open, and Kaiba quickly winked playfully at him. Yami's heart skipped a beat. Was he seeing things?!

Kaiba tore his eyes away from Yami and noticed Mai Valentine looking longingly at the stack of boxes on his desk. He gestured towards her and motioned for her to grab one. She stared at him, wide-eyed, almost looking terrified.

Sighing, Kaiba stepped out from behind his desk and handed her the topmost box, which happened to be white.

She grasped it between her beautifully manicured hands and looked at him, "Seto Kaiba, you are an enigma. I can't figure you out." Kaiba smiled gently at her, "All the better."

Yami watched this exchange apprehensively. Kaiba sure was turning on the charm tonight, something about him seemed...different.

It was getting rowdy in Kaiba's study as Joey, Tristan and Duke were now loudly taking ugly selfies with the phone, while Anzu screamed at them to delete the ugly one they took of her.

Serenity grabbed Mai by the arm excitedly, "What! That's so pretty!"

"Girl get your own," Mai scoffed. "There's a whole pile."

Serenity timidly approached the desk while chaos ensued behind her. She smiled angelically at Kaiba, "May I have one as well?"

"Here you go." Kaiba grabbed a brown stickered ribbon-topped box and placed it in her hands. She looked at it curiously, "How did you know?"

"What?" Kaiba said absentmindedly, watching Yugi whispering with Yami at the back of the group.

"That my favorite color is brown." Serenity said suspiciously.

"Oh, pf." Kaiba scoffed, trying to play it off casually, "I just grabbed a random one from the stack."

"No," Serenity continued, "This is the ONLY brown one. Who told you?" She demanded. "Are you having us followed?"

Kaiba began to panic slightly, "Please," he hissed, "Keep your voice down."

"So you _are_ having us followed?" Serenity repeated shrilly.

"No!" Kaiba said in a strained whisper, "All I had to do was ask Anzu."

"What?" she looked surprised suddenly, "So, you _planned_ this?!"

"Yes...!... No!" Kaiba said, frustrated, he looked over and realized Yugi and Yami had stopped their whispering.

Serenity followed his gaze and looked at him knowingly. "I think we need to talk, just you and me, Seto Kaiba."

"No, I disagree." Kaiba growled.

"You will agree," Serenity insisted coldly, "Or I'll tell everyone you're having us followed. Which I know is completely false, but it's my word against yours."

 _I'm being blackmailed by Wheeler's baby sister,_ Kaiba raged, _nothing good comes of generosity._

Anzu approached the desk breathlessly, "Give, me one." She panted, "I need, revenge."

Kaiba grabbed two boxes and allowed her to choose, knowing full well she would pick the pink one.

"Thaaank youu Kaiba!" Anzu drawled, and she headed back towards the Yugi-gang with her new addition.

Serenity stood there, still looking suspicious. "Why did you hand her two boxes, if you knew her favorite color?"

"Don't overthink it," Kaiba said, clenching his teeth. "I like giving people a choice."

"Since whennnnnn?" Serenity said, raising her eyebrows.

Kaiba decided that the best course of action would be to ignore all further engagements with Wheeler's little sister. She walked away after she saw Yugi approaching the desk.

"Kaiba." Yugi said firmly. "May I have your word that, if I take one of these phones from your desk, I won't owe you anything?"

Kaiba nodded and looked directly into Yugi's eyes, they were much softer, and larger, than Yami's. His little round face pulled into an expression of worry, made it hard for Kaiba to take him seriously.

"And," Yugi continued, "I won't be _charged_ for this phone, at a later date?"

The group fell silent as they heard Yugi speaking.

Kaiba scoffed. "As if I need to charge you for anything. I have enough money already."

"Good." Mai said foxily, "Then I can just bill you when my monthly charge comes in."

"Sure." Kaiba said casually, examining his nails, realizing they were becoming chipped from all his manual labor at the bakery.

There was a long silence. Kaiba looked up and was met with shocked faces. "What." he said flatly.

"Are you...joking?" Duke said warily.

Kaiba smiled devilishly, "Send me your bill and you'll see just how much I like to joke."

"Whoa. Whoa." Yugi reeled, "What is going on. Are you OKAY? Like, in your head, did you hit your head?"

"No," Kaiba said, willing himself to remain calm in the face of insults, "I may be a bit sleep deprived, but I am 100% aware of what I am doing."

"There's gotta be a catch," Joey said, aghast. "Who are you, and what have you done with the Seto Kaiba we know and hate?"

"He's still here." Kaiba said with steely eyed look, "You don't know him, and you can keep hating him if that helps you sleep better at night."

"Okay we're going to..leave now." Yugi said, backing away from the desk, "I think something may have happened, and you might regret this tomorrow, or next week, so we're gonna go, before you change your mind."

Kaiba leaned against the desk, too tired to argue, "Whatever." he said shortly. "See yourselves out." he said coldly.

The gang shuffled quietly out through the doors; Kaiba exited his study and out onto the adjacent balcony.

Mokuba peeked out of his room and realized the gang was leaving. He rushed out of his room and ran towards them, "Guys! Wait! Tell me what happened!" He cried.

The group exchanged significant looks. Yugi bent down and patted Mokuba on the shoulder, "Your brother is acting kinda weird, he's giving away stuff for free and asking nothing in return. You might want to keep an eye on him in the coming weeks."

"I know!" Mokuba exclaimed, "He's changed a lot in literally 3 days! He even played a video game with me today!"

Yami shook his head confused, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I think," Mokuba whispered excitedly, "He's got a girlfriend and that's what's making him happy."

Yami felt his stomach drop through the floor, as Yugi gave him a meaningful look.

"What?!" Mai exclaimed, "Who knew?! Also, how do you know this mystery female is the source of his generosity?"

"I saw some texts on his phone from her, " Mokuba said slyly, "Just don't tell him I saw."

"Gross," Joey commented.

"You wish you had a girlfriend," Mai said spitefully.

"And he's been going out a lot!" Mokuba continued.

"Going out where?" Yami asked, feeling numb.

"I dunno," Mokuba shrugged, "Out, like on dates I guess, he wore some different clothes too. I saw them in his room today."

"Does this happen often?" Yami pressed, his mouth going dry.

"Why is this so important to you?" Yugi asked suddenly, "You've been asking this a lot since..."

Yami blinked and looked at the floor, "I'm just curious, that's all."

"Let's leave!" Serenity hissed, "Its like 12AM right now, I have class tomorrow!"

"Right, right," Anzu agreed. They said goodbye to Mokuba and headed out the door.

Kaiba watched them sullenly from the balcony. Their voices fading as they climbed into their vehicles and sped away from his property, Kaiba looked up at the dark night sky, wishing to be anyone other than himself in that moment.

* * *

Kaiba laid awake in bed, waiting for his alarm to ring. He rolled over and checked his phone. There was one message, a missed call, from the bakery manager, Jason. Kaiba sat up abruptly, and read the text,

"Hiro,  
Don't come in,  
there's nothing left to unpack now. Store is clean and set-up done.  
All that's left is paperwork.  
Come back next week, ready to bake.  
\- J"

He deleted it and laid back onto his bed, contemplating sleeping in. He sat up again, realizing his casual wardrobe was wearing thin. Kaiba opened the text message thread he had with Yami on his personal phone. After contemplating for a long while, he wrote, "Come shopping with me today?" and left it at that. He rolled around then decided to get up once and for all.

He stepped into the bathroom and ruffled his light brown hair in the mirror. He grabbed the hair dye from the shelf and plopped it onto his hands, massaging it in thoroughly. He rinsed quickly and put in a fresh set of light brown contact lenses. Kaiba made sure to tuck a tiny bottle of eye drops in his pocket, remembering the painful disaster from the other day.

His phone hummed, Kaiba checked it, his excitement mounting, "It's a date! And I don't have class on these days, you can remember that." Yami replied sassily.

Kaiba found himself grinning stupidly at his phone and he replied with, "I'll pick you up in 30 minutes?"

Yami stared at his phone. Hiro sure was sounding very bold this morning. "Do you remember where I live?" Yami texted back playfully.

Kaiba mentally slapped himself and wrote, "I actually don't remember where you live. Tell me your address please."

Yami smiled, and typed, "If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."

Kaiba felt feverish with excitement at the playful attitude he was receiving from Yami, "How about I just show you?"

"Deal," Yami wrote back enthusiastically, and quickly sent him the address to the Kame Game Shop. He leapt out of bed and got dressed.

"Mmggmh." Yugi grumbled, "What time is it? Why are you up so early? You don't have class today.."

"I'm hanging out with Hiro today! See you later okay?" Yami said animatedly, and he ran down the stairs briskly and stood by the entrance of the shop, waiting.

Meanwhile, Kaiba walked anxiously through his garage, desperately trying to find a suitable car to drive. He opted with the cheapest sport car he owned, and decided to just roll with the consequences of questions if they ever arose.

He sped off his property towards the Kame Game Shop, feeling strangely elated.

Yami leaned against the doorway of the game shop, not sure what to look for. He saw a tall figure walking towards him from across the street in the morning fog.

Yami rushed towards the tall silhouette, and to his delight, Hiro's gentle, smiling face greeted him warmly. Yami reached his hand out towards Hiro to wave, but instead, Hiro grabbed his arm and he was pulled into a strong and warm embrace.

Yami closed his eyes contentedly, inhaling the strange, sweet, musky scent that was uniquely his. "How's your morning going?" Hiro asked, smiling a little.

"Great, now that you're here," Yami laughed. Kaiba felt his spirits soar. This was what he wanted. This was how he wanted to be treated by Yami.

"I parked around the corner so as not to disturb the neighbors. Come on." he gestured around the block.

Yami tilted his head curiously, "Why the distance?"

"Because I needed a little morning walk!" Hiro replied enthusiastically, laughing. Yami was dazzled by the overwhelming cheerfulness he was displaying and he gladly fell into step with Hiro.

Kaiba pressed the keys as they turned the corner, Yami saw a pair of headlights glow softly, from a slender, white american sports car with a solid black stripe running through the middle.

"Wow." Yami said, genuinely impressed, "I like this car!"

"I do too," Hiro responded happily, "It was a gift,"

"Really!" Yami commented, further confirming his suspicions that Hiro came from a rich family who enjoyed spoiling him.

 _A gift to myself,_ Kaiba thought privately, as Yami climbed carefully into the passenger seat.

"Want to know what makes this car really special?" Kaiba asked devilishly.

Yami shook his head, nonplussed, "What?"

"This," Kaiba said, leaning over and pressing his lips lightly against Yami's, catching him off-guard. Yami's eyes shot open wide, as he stared at Hiro's pale face, enticingly close to his. Yami softly touched Hiro's cheek, feeling apprehensive. Kaiba closed his eyes, giving into the lovely feeling of Yami's hands on his face.

Yami pushed his forehead agaisnt Hiro's and threaded his hands through his lustrous black hair, tugging and pulling at it seductively as Hiro lightly spread kisses around his neck and ears.

Hungry for more, Kaiba pressed himself across the divide of the car, straining to feel more of Yami's warmth. Yami noticed this and smiled mischievously, "Can we start with your place?" he said.

Kaiba was confused, his head was buzzing with pleasure, making it difficult for him to think clearly, "My place?"

"I want a tour of your place, Hiro." Yami enunciated. Kaiba nodded silently and was secretly glad that he had furnished the apartment properly a few days ago.

They sped down the highway and Yami felt a strange familiar feeling settle over him as he watched Hiro expertly maneuver the car. The similarities Hiro shared with Seto Kaiba were uncanny; the slender fingers that gripped the clutch, the love for flashy sports cars, they were similar in height and share affinity for baking.

 _But there are key differences that makes them separate people_ , Yami thought ferociously. _Kaiba enjoys showing off, and just being a condescending asshole in general, but Hiro on the other hand_...Yami gazed up at Hiro, and Hiro looked back at him, smiling gently, shaking the dark hair out from around his eyes.

 _Hiro smiles a lot more,_ Yami noted, _and he parked around the corner as opposed to just driving by loudly, waking the neighbors with the roaring engine. There's the difference,_ Yami concluded. _Hiro is a thoughtful, humble, hardworking student, whereas Seto Kaiba was a thoughtless, callous, braggart, with whom my friends could barely tolerate._

Yami leaned back into his seat, still feeling a sense of unease. The level of attraction he felt towards Hiro was an un-explainable, raw hunger. It was scary. He wasn't sure if visiting Hiro's apartment was an entirely innocent request.

They pulled past the university, garnering appreciative and jealous looks from students crossing the streets. Yami chose to comment on this to gauge Hiro's reaction. "Your car is getting a lot of attention, " he said casually.

"Is it?" Kaiba said, throwing another dazzling smile towards Yami, "I didn't really notice, I've been trying to sneak glances at you while we've been driving."

Yami felt himself grow hot all over. "Please, you don't mean that."

Kaiba smirked privately, enjoying Yami's reaction thoroughly. _I love how responsive he is when his guard is down_ , Kaiba mused.

They parked behind the student apartments and Kaiba led Yami around to the front of the building. "We're here!" Kaiba said enthusiastically.

Yami glanced up, the building seemed pretty standard, and well maintained. Pretty luxurious for a student actually. "Lead the way," Yami said keenly.

Kaiba walked deliberately down the hallway, towards his room. Having Yami follow him without suspecting him of anything was a strangely exhilarating freeing. He unlocked the door to is apartment and held it open for Yami. "Please enter." he said, looking at Yami intently.

"Don't mind if I do," Yami responded excitedly.

He stepped inside and was met with a beautiful light, shining in from large windows panning across the entire unit. A large TV, desk and wardrobe were aligned purposefully together underneath the windows. A large bed sat agaisnt the adjacent wall, neatly made, with sheets splashed in bold, geometric, monochrome with print. A row of metal bar stools were propped up agaisnt a long kitchen island, gleaming in the morning light.

"It's beautiful!" Yami exclaimed. It seemed so simple, but there was luxury intoned subtly on the bedding, the chairs, and the desk

Kaiba felt himself beam with pride, not bad for a 3 hour decor job.

"It's really just the lighting doing all the work," he responded humbly.

"I really like it!" Yami said, throwing himself down with a _-pof-_ onto the bedding.

"I'm glad you do!" Kaiba said, feeling strangely ecstatic as he saw Yami laying defenselessly on his bed.

Yami kicked off his shoes and pulled his legs up onto the large bed, "There's not much here, but it looks very comfortable!"

Kaiba stood at the edge of the bed numbly, not quite believing what he was seeing. There was a a Yami, sitting on his bed, talking with him in a courteous manner, was any of this real?

"Hiro, what's wrong?" Yami said concernedly, looking up at him through his spiky blond bangs.

 _Does this mean it's okay?_ Kaiba choked on his own thoughts, trying to suppress the monster of lust that was roaring through his body, _Can I really..._

Yami crawled over to the edge of the bed to where he was standing rigidly, "Hiro?"

Kaiba reached out and pulled Yami's face close to his, his thumbs sweeping lovingly beneath Yami's soft cheeks, "Can I kiss you, and just never stop?" he murmured, grazing his lips agaisnt Yami's slender nose.

Yami felt himself shiver slightly, and said nothing, gazing deeply into Hiro's soft brown eyes.

Yami swallowed dryly, "Why?"

Kaiba frowned, "Why else? I feel like it. I like you. I want to, you want to, don't you?" he implored.

"No," Yami gasped, "I mean, ..I feel like..something is different about you."

Kaiba was getting impatient, "Of course there is something different about me, we just met, a few days ago. " Kaiba's self control was slipping by the second. He wanted to touch Yami everywhere, he wanted to feel the warmth of his skin on his mouth.

 _He could just be pushed down, right now...I'm stronger, and bigger..._ Kaiba was seriously losing it.

Yami trailed his hand down the front of Hiro's shirt and reached up to brush the black hair out of his eyes, "I'll do this with you, but we stop, when I say we stop." He looked up into Hiro's deep brown eyes, "Agree?"

Kaiba nodded mutely, unable to hold himself back any longer. He leaned his weight down onto Yami's thin frame and pressed his lips passionately agaisnt his, breathing in his scent. He felt Yami wildly tug at his hair, and that alone made him so hard. Kaiba ground his hips violently agaisnt Yami and Yami felt himself shake with pleasure.

Kaiba then shoved his tongue into Yami's waiting, open mouth, and felt Yami's tongue entangle with his erotically. Yami felt his hands travel down Hiro's muscular torso and land gently on his belt, where a large bulge was pressed up firmly against the fabric. He grabbed at it playfully and Kaiba groaned, shaking with pleasure.

Kaiba slid his palms adoringly down Yami's slender abdomen and became even more aroused when Yami peeled his shirt off and laid back wantonly. Kaiba was alight with desire and he leaned down to deliver a flurry of butterfly kisses all over Yami's chest and abs. Yami sighed and closed his eyes sensually, losing himself in the feeling. Kaiba flicked his tongue in and out of Yami's bellybutton suggestively, and Yami sat up suddenly, looking at Kaiba with lust in his eyes.

Kaiba slowly undid one of Yami's belts without breaking eye contact. Yami's breaths increased with each clink of the belt, and Kaiba felt drunk with excitement at what he was about to do next. He undid the second belt and seductively reached his hand into Yami's pants, wrapping his hands firmly around Yami's hot member. Yami gasped light, short breaths, shuddering uncontrollably at the foreign, delicious feeling.

Kaiba couldn't help but smirk and whisper, "I'm only touching you through the cloth, now imagine this is skin..."

Yami blinked beseechingly him, begging him silently to continue. Kaiba carefully slid Yami's penis out of his underwear and gazed at it triumphantly.

Yami was shivering uncontrollably, "Wh-what?" He stammered, feeling suddenly very self conscious.

"Oh...nothing." Kaiba said, trying to hide his glee, "Lift your hips up for me a little?"

"H-how?" Yami asked nervously.

"Like this," Kaiba said, smirking confidently, gently leaning Yami back and lifting his thighs up agaisnt his own shoulders. He bent his head down and came nose-to-head with Yami's shaft, and said seriously, "Grab my head and push me around however you like it."

"Wh-what?!" Yami exclaimed, but before he could even think further, Kaiba brought his head forcefully down between his legs and enveloped his entire dick into his hot, wet mouth. Yami's eyes shot wide open as his vision turned white, and then green, his ears ringing.

Kaiba began to slowly bob his head up and down, his tongue powerfully swirling around the head of his penis, sending giant shock waves of pleasure, causing intense mini-orgasms to rock Yami's body violently. Yami dug his fingers deep into Kaiba's dark hair as he writhed with pleasure. Kaiba smiled and hummed lightly, enjoying the immense power he was currently given over Yami's tantalizing body. The hums sent enthralling heated waves of ecstasy shooting through his arms and legs; Yami felt extremely hot and cold all over as his entire body tensed up, preparing for another large orgasm. In frantic desperation, Yami buried his fingers into Hiro's long black hair and pressed his head down harder onto his erection.

Kaiba felt Yami's fingers in his hair, pulling him, encouraging him to open his mouth and to slide the head of Yami's shaft tightly into the back of his throat. Yami felt his body convulse brutally and clench powerfully as he felt himself melt and explode from the inside out. Wave after violent wave of pleasure followed his explosive orgasm, and Kaiba jerked his head back acutely, as his mouth was flooded with Yami's hot semen.

Yami fell back onto the bed, a sweaty half-naked mess, feeling lost, electrified, and just slightly confused.

Kaiba looked up at Yami satisfyingly, cum dripping splendidly from the corners of his mouth and down his neck, "So, did you like that?"

Yami struggled to sit up, still weak with pleasure, "I-I think I died and came back to life," Yami joked faintly. "I'm sorry I made such a mess..." he glanced around at the mussed up bedding and then at Hiro's bulging erection, still sitting in his pants.

"Let me..?" Yami asked tentatively. Kaiba leaned forward into Yami's reach, "It's really alright if you can't.."

"No," Yami said firmly, "I want to return the favor."

Kaiba shook slightly with anticipation. He watched as Yami slowly undid his front hesitantly and came nose-to-head with his rather, large and thick shaft. Slightly shaken at the size, Yami took one hand and firmly grasped the shaft and with the other hand, he placed lightly on Kaiba's balls.

Aghast, Kaiba swayed intensely at the feeling, it was nothing like he had imagined. Yami looked up at Hiro for a reaction and was astounded to see him completely wanton and lustful, staring at him through half-open, glazed eyes, waiting for his next move. Yami leaned forward and cautiously kissed Hiro's shaft, and licked it from base to tip, without breaking eye contact.

Kaiba trembled with need as he started leaking a bit at the tip. Yami gladly licked it up entrancingly, before rolling his tongue rhythmically over the head of his penis. Kaiba groaned and threw his head back, panting, struggling to keep himself contained. Yami tightly gripped Hiro's shaft and forcefully brought his head down, deep into his throat, all the way upon his length, and Yami slowly slid his mouth upwards, tortuously. Yami lifted his head and looked up at Hiro, his lips wet with saliva, "Am I doing it right?" Yami asked tentatively.

"Yes, don't stop." Kaiba begged, abandoning all pretense.

"Push my head, and do it to me how you like it," Yami said, titling his head curiously. "Don't worry, I can take it."

Kaiba wasted no time and passionately grasped a handful of the tri-colored hair and savagely thrust into Yami's open mouth. Yami grunted with surprise and pleasure when he felt the tip of Hiro's shaft hit the roof of his mouth erotically. Kaiba trembled with self-indulgence and he continued pounding fiercely into Yami's hot, dense mouth.

He trembled with vicious satisfaction, as he deliberately pushed Yami's head down onto his dick, over and over again, with reckless abandon. Kaiba felt his muscles taut with lust, as pleasure surged up from his core. Burning the image of Yami obediently taking his cock deep into his mouth, Kaiba let himself pleasurably spasm into an impassioned climax, and he came hard inside Yami's mouth. It caught Yami off guard and he jerked his head back forcefully, coughing violently.

"I'm so sorry!" Kaiba cried, distressed. "Was I too rough?!"

Yami was still coughing and it took a while for him to steady himself, but when he did, he smiled weakly back at Hiro and laughed a little, "I was surprised at how rough you were, but I actually really enjoyed that," Yami said, elegantly wiping cum away from his bottom lip. Entranced by the erotic movement, Kaiba leaned himself closer towards Yami and kissed his lips firmly, tasting himself on Yami's mouth.

Yami pulled back in surprise, "That's dirty! Don't do that!"

Kaiba laughed earnestly and gently brushed Yami's bangs out of his face, "Let's clean up, I'll help you, you stay here." He got up and grabbed a wet towel and dry paper napkins from the kitchen and handed them to Yami. "Unless you'd prefer a shower" Kaiba said suggestively.

"Actually," Yami said, "If you don't mind, I would like to use your shower." And with that, he marched right in, leaving Kaiba standing there, half-naked, holding a wad of towels.

Yami turned the hot water on and stood underneath it, feeling warm and composed. _It was strange, sex with a stranger isn't supposed to feel this familiar, is it?_ Yami mused uncertainly. He quickly got clean, and dressed himself readily, chalking it up to physical compatibility.

Yami stepped out and saw Hiro standing by the window looking pensive, perhaps he was wondering the same thing.

"Oh good you're done, it's my turn," Hiro smiled lightly and walked past Yami, into the bathroom, shutting the door gently. Kaiba turned the water on and stepped underneath it, careful not to let the water touch his dyed hair.

 _I'm so fucked,_ Kaiba thought dismally, _This is so fucked up. What am I doing? What do I hope to accomplish by fucking around with Yami?_

Kaiba sighed as he watched the water run down his body. _How can I tell him who I am now? He will hate me, because Hiro is a constant lie. Anything good we have will disappear, just like everything else I touch._

He stepped out of the shower and examined his appearance; no dye was running and his contacts were still in place. He wiped his face on a towel guiltily, wondering if he should ever tell Yami about himself. _Hiro could just disappear...but how?_ Kaiba wondered. He was beginning to think Yami was right, that there was never a correct circumstance under which they would be able to confess their feelings towards each together safely, out of the eye of the public.

He stepped out of the a bathroom quickly and saw that Yami was nowhere to be found.  
"Yami?" he called out nervously.

"Over here!" Yami responded, his head buried in the refrigerator.

Kaiba rushed over to the kitchen and pulled Yami away from the fridge, "What are you doing? there's nothing in there!"

"Why is your fridge completely empty?!" Yami asked incredulously, "What do you eat?"

"I eat out," Kaiba said, lying steadily, "And I throw everything out of my fridge every week. Its how I keep things clean."

Yami nodded knowingly, "Aren't you a neat freak."

Kaiba sniffed proudly, "I am, thank you for the compliment."

Yami laughed happily and leaned agaisnt Hiro's tall frame, "Well I am starving, so let's grab some breakfast?"

Kaiba smiled down at Yami who was hanging onto his arm endearingly, "I know a good place." And led him out through the building towards his vehicle.


	7. but to no avail

Kaiba started the engine and watched eagerly as Yami climbed into the passenger seat. Yami threw him an affectionate look and Kaiba felt his body tingle pleasantly.

They rode together in amicable silence, enjoying each other's company. Kaiba gripped the clutch excitedly as they sped towards the shopping mall.

 _This is actually a date_ , Kaiba thought disconcertingly, _I wish I knew exactly what he wanted from me. I know how to behave on a date, technically, but we're two men, does it work the same way?_

He pulled into the private lot adjacent to the shopping mall and gracefully stepped out of the vehicle. Yami followed suit, feeling stimulated at the prospect of spending a full, uninterrupted day with Hiro.

"There's a nice place here I've been meaning to show you", Kaiba said, pulling a cliche, date-esque line out of his ass.

Yami nodded enthusiastically, "I've only been here once, so it's all still new to me."

Kaiba nodded, shaking his hair out of his eyes. He had read online about a romantic, contemporary bistro which had recently opened nearby, he wasn't quite sure where exactly it was located, and that thought concerned him.

 _I hope I can find this place without thoroughly embarrassing myself_ , Kaiba thought darkly.

They stepped onto the outdoor shopping strip, passing by various brightly-lit shops, walking side by side in silence. The street was carefully lined with large, freshly watered pots of flowers, the sun shone warmly down on them and the drops of water twinkled cheerfully.

Kaiba felt uneasy, afraid that he wasn't being very good company. He stole a glance at Yami and felt his heart leap at his enthralled expression as they continued down the charming little street.

Yami was enjoying himself immensely, soaking in their surroundings, enthralled. Everything seemed to be sparking in the sun. Yami looked down at quaint, brick-lined pavement, as he walked alongside Hiro, their difference in height was apparent as their shadows bobbed rhythmically with their steps.

Yami paused, feeling a strange tingling travel up from his fingertips as he observed their shadows. Hiro's shadow looked strikingly familiar...

Kaiba felt Yami stop in his step. "Hey..." Kaiba said uncertainly.

Yami looked up at Hiro, his eyes slowly traveled around his face, carefully taking in the messy, black hair slightly covering a pair of light brown eyes, feeling a strange sensation settle in his stomach.

"What?" Kaiba asked, trying to keep the haughtiness out of his tone.

"Nothing," Yami commented slowly, tearing his eyes away, "You just remind me of someone."

"Yes, you've said that several times now." Kaiba said, feeling frustration burn inside him. "Mind telling me who?"

Yami took a few steps forward, and shook his head playfully, "Don't worry about it!" and he continued up the street, gesturing for Hiro to follow him.

Kaiba clenched his fists involuntarily and fell back into step with Yami, his mind racing.

They walked by a large grey awning, elegantly suspended over an open dining area, bordered with a large, white marble entrance, lined with and gold-rimmed leaves.

"Yami," Kaiba called out, feeling relieved, "This is the place."

Yami paused in his step and looked over his shoulder, "Here? Oh, wow!"

They stepped into the bistro, and a young, attractive blonde maitre d' with striking blue eyes ushered them inside quickly.

"Inside seating or outside, sirs?" He asked, looking at them sincerely.

Kaiba saw the Yami blink hesitantly and he spoke for them, "Outside," He looked down at Yami for confirmation, noticing a small smile curving at the corners of his lips. "..please." He added, glancing quickly back at the maitre d'.

The maitre d' nodded and led them outside, pausing to open a wide umbrella above a small, round, glass table for two. He carefully placed the menus on the table, "Your waiter will be with you shortly, please have a seat." And he left, leaving Kaiba and Yami standing awkwardly at the side of the table, each waiting for the other to sit.

Kaiba tried his best not to glare at Yami, who was staring wistfully after the maitre d' with a strange expression on his face.

"After you." Kaiba said stiffly, carefully watching Yami's expressions.

Yami didn't hear him, he was still staring at the doorway through which the attractive maitre d' had disappeared.

"Yami?" Kaiba said loudly, gripping the back of his chair tightly.

Yami blinked and turned to face him, "Sorry?"

"Sit." Kaiba said, feeling his jaw tense.

"Oh, right." Yami mumbled, pulling his chair out quickly and sat down, blushing slightly.

Kaiba quietly lowered himself into the seat across from him and eyed Yami headily, "What's on your mind?" he asked, absently thumbing through the menu, not really seeing or reading the pages.

Yami propped his head up on his elbow and stared out across the screen of bushes and flowers which separated their dining area from the street, "I'm fine." he said shortly, and he picked up his menu, studying it carefully.

Kaiba quickly chose a dish, made a mental note of it, and shut his menu delicately, "If you don't like it here, we can go somewhere else." he said, feeling a slight twinge of annoyance as he caught the maitre d' in the corner of his eye, opening more umbrellas, busy seating more people.

"I like it here just fine." Yami responded shortly, raising his head, his eyes following the blonde maitre d'.

Kaiba noticed this and couldn't take it anymore. "What are you looking at?" he snapped, forgetting himself for a moment.

Yami narrowed his eyes and looked over Hiro's shoulder, "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

Kaiba curls his fingers tightly, feeling his nails dig into his palms painfully, "Right."

Yami stared at him curiously, unsure of how to respond.

 _Hiro is acting very strangely,_ Yami thought guiltily, _perhaps...he caught me staring at the server._ He looked back down at his menu, but as he did so, their waitress appeared, placing tall glasses of water before them.

"I'll take your orders now," She said, pulling out a small electronic pad from her apron, the logo "KC" embossed in a deep, silver chrome across the back of the pad, reflecting the sun offensively into Kaiba's eyes, blinding him momentarily.

Clenching his jaw and blinking furiously, Kaiba heard Yami tell the waitress his order. She turned, addressing him directly, "And you sir?"

Kaiba shook his black hair out of his eyes, green spots dancing in his vision, he felt himself request a dish numbly, and her arm passed across his face picking the menus up from the table.

"I'll be right back!" She chirped and Kaiba glared at her back as she walked away.

Sighing, Kaiba leaned forwards onto the table and propped his elbows up against it, threading his fingers together, pressing his thumbs agaisnt his lips in an effort to suppress any hint of emotion that might give him away.

Yami sipped his water delicately, and accidentally inhaled water with a gasp as he saw Hiro strike a very Kaiba-esque pose, elbows up on the table, hands clasped across his face obscuring his mouth. He coughed, feeling his eyes tear up as water burned the back of his nose.

Startled, Kaiba unfolded his arms and automatically took the glass out of Yami's hand without thinking, "Whoa, hey, are you okay?"

Yami swallowed and took a deep breath, shaking, "I'm fine."

Kaiba set the glass down firmly and handed Yami his napkin. Yami took it cautiously, dabbing at his lips lightly, watching Hiro's expression carefully, his dark eyebrows drawn upwards with worry.

"Hiro, are you angry about something?" Yami asked suddenly, catching Kaiba off-guard.

"No, not really." Kaiba lied, avoiding eye contact. _How fucking perceptive,_ he fumed privately.

"You can tell me." Yami said simply, his eyes growing large.

Kaiba felt his heart leap into his throat, his mind racing for the most believable lie. "Well, it's stupid." He said, frantically biding for more time.

"I'm listening." Yami said, tilting his head, his full attention on Hiro.

"Right," Kaiba said, clasping his hands in his lap, trying to appear as meek as possibly, "It's about your phone. I thought you had to return it, but since you were able to text me this morning, I'm assuming everything went well with...Seto Kaiba." Kaiba swallowed. It felt strange saying his own name.

"Oh, that." Yami's eyes darkened and his demeanor changed completely. Kaiba was instantly regretting everything.

"I don't care what happened," Kaiba said quickly, hoping for a saving grace.

Yami frowned and nodded, "I'll tell you what happened." he said, rushing his words, feeling himself heat up.

Kaiba shook his head quickly, but Yami continued to speak, "The visit with Kaiba last night ended strangely, but amicably."

"Strangely?" Kaiba said, unable to stop himself. He gripped his knee tightly, angry with himself.

Yami's shoulder's relaxed and he threw Hiro a small smile.  
_I can read his emotions like a book,_ Yami thought, feeling amused. _He really seems to care.  
_

"Yes it was strange," Yami said, lightly drumming the glass table with his fingertips, "He proceeded to gift every single one of my friends with phones."

Kaiba felt himself tense up even further, "And that's a good thing?" he asked, his voice rising hopefully.

"Depends on how you look at it." Yami said darkly, absentmindedly watching his own fingers tapping the glass.

"What does that mean?" Kaiba asked, dread rising.

"It means you were right." Yami said finally, not looking up from the table, "It means, the phone wasn't anything special. His actions in giving it to me was just purely...convenient."

 _What the fuck?!_ Kaiba thought as he struggled to understand. "I don't get it." he said stiffly.

"It didn't mean anything." Yami said monotonously, "He was merely throwing his wealth around, my friends and I was conveniently there. Yugi says he was doing this to gather more user-related data."

"You can't just assume that's what he's doing." Kaiba said, almost angrily.

Yami looked at Hiro with dull eyes, "He's done it many times before with his new technology, and very publicly. If you keep up with the latest news, I'm sure you're aware. "

Kaiba paused, wondering to what extent he ought to play stupid. "I don't have time to keep up with the news, unfortunately." He lied, watching Yami's fingers stop drumming the table.

Yami's eyes widened, and he looked like was about to speak, just as the waitress came walking by with their orders. She set a steaming plate of lasagna in front of Yami and a beautifully arranged fillet mignon before Kaiba. "Enjoy!" she sang, and floated away, hurrying to attend to a nearby table.

Yami peered over his plate curiously, impressed, "Wow! That looks nice. " he commented, smiling happily.

Kaiba managed a tight lipped smile and cut into his fillet. "I was ordering blind. I guess it turned out well." He quickly placed the slice into his mouth, enjoying the rich balsamic glaze on the surface.

 _This isn't half bad,_ Kaiba mused, cutting himself another thin slice. He noticed Yami watching him longingly, his lasagna untouched. Smiling to himself, Kaiba remembered how much the Motou twins loved their meat.

Quickly, with even strokes, Kaiba thinly sliced up the rest of the meat and stood up suddenly, grabbing Yami's lasagna, deftly switching their plates. He sat back down carefully and pulled the plate of lasagna closer to him and started cutting into it, eager to try it.

Yami was gaping at him, his mouth hanging slightly open with surprise. _How did he know?!_ Yami thought, extremely flustered.

"Eat it." Kaiba urged, "It tastes better in thin slices."

Embarrassed, Yami picked up his fork slowly, blushing furiously, "Thank you." he said quietly, his fork hovering above the plate uncertainly.

"Better hurry, it doesn't taste good cold." Hiro said, and placed a small chunk of lasagna into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully _.  
_

_Everything is layered evenly and well seasoned_ , Kaiba thought, feeling satisfied. _Mokuba would love the lasagna here._

Kaiba felt pleased as he watched Yami eagerly dive into his plate. They ate in silence, a gentle breeze ruffled the cloth on the umbrella above them, the light scent from the flower bushes drifted softly through the air.

The lasagna was quite large, Kaiba was actually having trouble finishing it. He set his fork down, and waited for Yami to finish, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back into the chair, feeling blissful. _Wine would go well with this_ , Kaiba thought, contemplating flagging the waitress down again, but then he remembered, he was supposed to be a college student. _What kind of college student can afford a fifty dollar glass of wine?_

He felt is eyelid twitch with annoyance. Yami was still chewing thoughtfully, smiling at him every now and then between bites. Kaiba felt a strange sensation swell up in his chest as he gently returned the smiles.

Suddenly, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. His company phone. Kaiba felt his stomach turn uncomfortably. It would be impossibly rude to take a phone call during a date. The phone kept buzzing, and Kaiba shifted uncomfortably, but Yami noticed this immediately.

"You're not answering your phone?" Yami asked, wiping his mouth gracefully on his napkin.

Kaiba frowned, "I don't want to be rude."

"Oh, go ahead, I don't mind." Yami said carelessly, reaching for his water.

Relieved to hear this, Kaiba quickly reached into his pocket and fished out his phone. It was Mokuba. _Maybe I should answer this later_ , Kaiba thought nervously, but he noticed the look Yami was giving him, and decided agaisnt it.

Quickly sliding the call button aside, he chose his words carefully, "Hey," he said casually, praying Mokuba wouldn't think much of it.

"Seto!" Mokuba sounded breathless, "I _know_ you're gonna say no, but please hear me out first okay?"

"Okay." Kaiba said, making sure to keep his expressions neutral. Yami had lowered his had back down, finishing up the last slices of the fillet.

"Yugi invited me to race go-karts with them this weekend! I wanna go!" Mokuba pleaded, "I'll finish all my homework for the week! I'll read 10 books all by this weekend!"

Kaiba felt a laugh inadvertently escape his throat, "No." he said, keeping his tone even.

Yami tilted his head up curiously, and watched as Hiro blinked rapidly, the caller seemed to be distressing him. Yami was about to turn back to his food when he suddenly noticed the phone in Hiro's hand. Yami dropped his fork with a clatter. There was no mistake, the end of the phone peeking out from underneath Hiro's palm was _most definitely_ one of the Kaiba's newest phones.

Yami reeled, _why haven't I noticed that before?! Kaiba specifically mentioned the phones had not been released to the public yet._

"What was that noise?" Mokuba asked abruptly, "That sounded like metal!"

"Don't worry about it." Kaiba responded evenly, "We'll talk about this more later."

"Fine." Mokuba said, huffing, "See you at home." And he hung up.

Kaiba pulled the phone away from his ear, displeased, and shoved it back into his pocket viciously. He looked up and noticed Yami staring at him, eyes wide, his eyebrows drawn upwards in confusion and uncertainty.

"What?" Kaiba asked defensively, knowing this look well.

Yami swallowed and spoke slowly, "You have...two phones!"

Kaiba felt his blood run cold. _Oh shit, oh fuck, oh shit!  
_

"I ...do...have two phones." Kaiba responded with equal slowness, his heart beating loudly in his ears.

"Who was that?" Yami demanded. "On the phone, who were you talking with?"

"No one." Kaiba said, wishing desperately for a topic change. "Finish your food before it gets cold."

"No. Not until you tell me." Yami insisted, folding his arms firmly across his chest and glaring at him.

Kaiba felt his face almost melt off at the intensity of Yami's familiar glare. "It was...family." he said blandly, hoping his answer would suffice.

"That was a lie. Try again." Yami growled, crossing one leg over the other.

"That was the truth!" Kaiba cried, raising a hand up defensively.

"You get _family_ calls on a new, unreleased phone ...from Seto Kaiba?" Yami sneered.

Kaiba sat frozen in place, realized he was trapped, arguing head-on with Yami on a situation hanging precariously on his thinly built lies-he would lose in an instant. He said nothing and lowered his head in defeat, staring through the glass table at his fists, clenched tightly in his lap.

 _I fucked up_ , Kaiba thought miserably, _I either lie my way out of this, or I tell him who I am. Right now._ Kaiba blinked astutely, still staring into the glass. _Publicly? I don't want to cause a scene, and besides, this wasn't how I imagined it happening.  
_

"I'm waiting for an answer, Hiro." Yami hissed, tapping his foot against the concrete, feeling a bubble of anger form tightly in his chest.

Kaiba kept his head resolutely downwards, feeling the weight of his head strain his neck. He heard whispers from the nearby tables. They were already undoubtedly causing a scene. It wouldn't be long before people whipped out their phones and started filming. Kaiba uncurled his fists, his mind racing. He lay his hands flat on his lap, realizing his manicure was still chipped, reminding him of his efforts at the bakery.

 _I can't_ , Kaiba thought. _I've come too far. I'll stay in character. I'm not real anyway. I can say whatever the fuck I want. I just have to sell it with all my might._

Kaiba forced his shoulders to hunch forward, and he lowered his head so far, his chin almost touched his chest. "I'm not proud of it. " he whispered

Yami frowned, watching Hiro shrink in size, almost as if he was trying to disappear from the inside out. He felt the anger fading, turning into curiosity.

"What?" Yami asked, uncrossing his legs and leaning forwards, suddenly concerned that he may have been too harsh with his tone.

"I have family, who work for _him._ I'm not proud of it." Hiro said, his voice barely audible over the sound of the chattering people around them.

 _Not technically a lie_ , Kaiba thought dully, _Mokuba was on the phone, who I consider my family. He works for me, technically._

"Your family is employed by Seto Kaiba?" Yami blinked, unsure if he had heard correctly.

Hiro raised his head slightly, "Yes. I don't talk about it too much, its an uncomfortable subject."

"You can tell me." Yami urged gently, realizing he definitely was too harsh earlier.

Kaiba waited, using the silence in his favor, realizing Yami had uncrossed all his limbs, meaning he was less angry than he was a minute ago. This was working.

"They want me to join the tech industry. But I don't care for it." Kaiba said, feeling his tongue swell with his lies. "They don't approve of anything I do, hence, I live on my own, and I pursue the training I want."

Yami nodded, satisfied with the answer. He picked up his fork and placed the last slice of fillet in his mouth, chewing slowly, noting that it was cold and stiff; no longer as tender and juicy as it was when it was hot.

"You're right," Yami said lightly, hoping to diffuse the situation, "This tastes better hot."

Kaiba forced himself to nod, keeping his head down, hiding his eyes in his hair.

Yami frowned guiltily. He stared at the dark swirl of hair in front of him, realizing he should probably apologize for his tone earlier. To his surprise, Hiro beat him to it.

"I'm sorry," Hiro said softly, "This wasn't how I wanted to you to find out."

Startled, Yami responded quickly, "I want to apologize for sounding rude. It's your personal business, I really shouldn't have pushed you for an answer you didn't want to give."

There was a moment of awkward silence. Kaiba heard footsteps as the waitress approached their table cautiously, "Is everything alright over here? Need some dessert?"

He lifted his head and smiled at her, "Everything was wonderful, the check, please."

Yami blinked, startled but pleased that Hiro didn't seem to be upset anymore.

The waitress seemed startled too. She smiled back faintly and reached down to grab their plates, "Let me box that lasagna up for you! I'll be right back with that check!" and she walked away quickly.

Kaiba leaned back in to his chair again, feeling his neck cramp up. He slowly reached his hand around and grasped his shoulders, shrugging them, feeling tight and uncomfortable. Yami was sitting very still, across from him, staring at him with a guilty look on his face. Kaiba ignored this and turned his gaze elsewhere.

Their waitress quickly returned with the check and the boxed leftovers, and started to walk away again before Kaiba stopped her. "Wait." He called, reaching into his wallet and slipping out a few crisp bills and placing it on the glass tray. "This should do it."

"Oh!" She cried, looking surprised, "Thank you, I'll be right back with your change."

"Keep it." Kaiba said, standing slowly and gesturing for Yami to do the same. Yami's eyes widened at the fold of bills on the glass tray, and looked back and forth between Hiro and the flustered waitress.

"That's about sixty-five dollars over your total amount," she stammered, eyeing the tray.

"Thank you, we're leaving." Kaiba said shortly, stepping around her and grabbing Yami firmly by the hand. Kaiba tugged on his arm gently and led them out of the restaurant. "Thank you come again!" The blonde maitre d' shouted.

Yami didn't hear anything. He felt a pleasant buzzing around the front of his mind as he felt himself being led out into the brick-lined street, Hiro's slender back inches before his nose. Yami felt his spirits soar, he didn't care where they were going, just as long as Hiro didn't let go.

Kaiba walked a few yards away from the entrance of the restaurant, pausing where the street ended and merged into a wide crossing. People surrounded them on all sides, carrying large shopping bags, chattering excitedly while crowding at the light, waiting for it to turn green.

Realizing he'd made a mistake, Kaiba turned, trying to exit the crowd, but failed as more people queued at the intersection. He looked down at Yami, realizing he was still holding onto his hand. Kaiba's heart leaped as he tried to quickly withdraw his hand, but he felt Yami's grip tighten around his fingers reassuringly. Kaiba felt his entire being burn with embarrassment and he looked away from Yami nervously.

Yami smiled up at Hiro and pressed his palm reassuringly into his as the crowd surged forward. They followed the flow of shoppers and managed to break out of the pack as the crowd thinned.

They had arrived by a little play area surrounded by trees and benches, and in the center of the play area, children were climbing, rolling, and kicking life-sized chess pieces strewn across an enormous stone chessboard.

"Such large pieces! Let's play!" Yami exclaimed enthusiastically, suddenly letting go of Hiro's hand.

Kaiba swallowed, resisting the temptation with every fiber of his being, "No thank you." he declined, knowing he'd give himself away in an instant.

"Come on," Yami said playfully, "I'll go easy on you."

"I don't know how to play." Kaiba said, feeling himself scream and twist internally at this lie.

Yami's eyes widened, "You don't? Not even a little?"

Hiro shook his head slowly, "Not enough."

"Ah..." Yami fell slightly, clearly disappointed. Kaiba guiltily turned to apologize, as Yami lit up again, "I can teach you!"

Kaiba felt himself recoil at the thought, "It's fine, let's keep going," he said, motioning towards the sidewalk. Yami nodded and paused, reaching his hand into his pocket.

"I'm getting a call." Yami said, embarrassed. Kaiba waved him off casually, "I don't mind. Answer it."

He watched as Yami tapped the screen and answer the call. He could immediately tell, judging by Yami's expression, that it was Yugi.

"Yami! Are you coming home to work the counter?" Yugi asked, his phone pressed agaisnt his ear with his shoulder as he hastily slid on his shoes.

Yami narrowed his eyes and replied, "I don't plan on it," glancing over at Hiro who was observing the children play on the chess set with an air of amusement.

"You can't do that Yami!" Yugi exclaimed, "You always take the afternoon shift on days you don't have classes. We can't just close the store randomly because you suddenly didn't feel like it."

Yami sighed and shook his bangs out of his eyes, "Alright, I'll be there soon."

"Thank you Yami. I know minding the store isn't your favorite activity." Yugi said, and Yami could hear the jangling of keys as Yugi locked the door behind him.

Yami sighed and hung up the phone sadly, upset that his time with Hiro had been cut short.

Kaiba watched as Yami shoved his phone dejectedly in his pocket. "What happened?" he asked, knowing the answer fully.

"I need to head back to the game shop and keep the store open for the rest of the day." Yami said, irritated.

"No problem," Kaiba mustered the warmest smile he could manage, "I'll drive us back." He pulled the keys out of his pocket and looped it around his slender fingers, palming them quickly.

Yami hung his head moodily and didn't move.

"We'll take the scenic route." Hiro said, hoping to cheer him up, "Come on."

Yami lifted his head, slightly intrigued, "What does that mean?"

"You'll see," Hiro said playfully, turning around and walking out towards the sidewalk.

Hoping Yami would follow him, Kaiba exited the play area and stepped out onto the sidewalk. A group of women walked by, gossiping loudly, pushing a set of strollers nearly steamrolled his toes. He jumped back, cursing under his breath as the women threw him dirty looks over their shoulders. He whirled around, panicking, worried Yami may have witnessed that, but he was no where to be found.

Confused, Kaiba headed back into the play area, looking for him. Yami was still standing stubbornly in the same place, arms folded tightly across his chest, glowering at the two children that remained on the life-sized chess set.

"Yami?" Hiro spoke gently, leaning forwards slightly, waving a hand in front of his face.

Yami didn't move, wondering if there was any way he could stall his way out of leaving.

Kaiba sighed and figured they weren't leaving unless he exerted a little pressure. Yami still had his arms tightly crossed. Kaiba wrapped his hand around Yami's wrist and pried his arms apart forcefully, feeling Yami resist, still stubbornly staring at the children playing on the chess set. He tightened his grip, feeling Yami relax his arms a bit, he took this chance to quickly walk forward, pulling Yami behind him, jerking him forward.

Yami stumbled forwards and fell into step behind Hiro, secretly glad that they were touching hands again. He felt Hiro pulling him along, his tall frame bobbing reassuringly in front of him, his long strides taking up two of Yami's steps. As they neared the parking lot, Yami was starting to feel annoyed; he wanted to hold Hiro's hand, so he tried to shake himself loose, to no avail. Hiro's grip only tightened further around his wrist.

"Stop struggling," Kaiba mumbled, gritting his teeth.

"Let go!" Yami cried, his feet sliding on the pavement.

"Fine." Kaia said, exasperated. They were already at the car anyway. Kaiba strode over to the passenger seat, opened the door wide, and walked towards the driver's side, waiting for Yami to get in.

Yami stood sullenly a few feet away from the car.

"Get in!" Kaiba called, trying to keep his tone even. Yami was being very difficult.

 _What the fuck is his problem?!_ Kaiba fumed, wondering what other tactics he could use to coax Yami into the car.

"I don't want to leave just yet," Yami said, jutting out his lower lip in displeasure, pouting slightly.

Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This behavior was most commonly seen in Mokuba whenever their outings were cut short by a work-related call. But this wasn't Mokuba. This was Yugi, the _other_ Yugi, actually. Kaiba sighed, running a hand through his dyed hair in frustration.

He walked around the car quickly and tried grabbing Yami's arm again, but Yami dodged him silky, shifting his shoulders back defiantly. Kaiba stared at Yami, not quite believing the behavior he was witnessing. He was about to toss Yami over his shoulder and throw him in the car when he noticed Yami's pout return. Kaiba stared at his lips, and looked back towards the car, and back to Yami's lips.

Yami blinked at him rebelliously, crossing his arms tightly across his chest once again.

Yami smirked, watching Hiro struggle internally, his eyes darting back and forth between him and the car.

"Get in, the car." Hiro enunciated, forcing a smile, which looked more like a sneer.

"Mmm no." Yami shook his head, biting his lower lip to keep from laughing.

Kaiba stared at Yami's teeth as they lightly grazed his lower lip, and he swallowed dryly, grasping thinly onto his self control.

Kaiba stepped up real close to Yami, attempting to threaten him with his height, "Don't make me do something I'm going to regret." Kaiba said, his resolve slipping.

Yami tilted his head back playfully, "Oh I wouldn't want tha-" he was cut off as Hiro suddenly leaned down and pressed his lips persistently on his. Yami almost staggered back at the force of which their lips met, feeling his knees bend and his neck strain. Strong arms held him in place, and Yami sunk his weight into Hiro, allowing himself to be kissed roundly, sensing the slight desperation from Hiro's lips as they melted onto his.

Kaiba felt Yami sigh contentedly and relax into his arms the moment their lips met, and he smirked against Yami's lips, surprised at how easy this was becoming. He felt Yami's tongue roaming boldly around the edge of their lips, and he pulled away suddenly, purposefully denying Yami contact. Yami frowned and made a strange noise, jutting upwards on his tip-toes, attempting to re-connect. Kaiba shook his head devilishly, licking his lips, wetting them on purpose, "Let's get in the car."

Yami shook his head vigorously, straining upwards on his toes, he felt his vision blur and his breath quicken as Hiro wet his lips tantalizingly before him.

Kaiba watched in amusement as he could see Yami's pupils dilating, his dark lashes fluttering, gazing at him imploringly. Against every voice in his head that was screaming at him _not_ to continue, Kaiba leaned down once more and lightly brushed his lips across Yami's, inhaling his sweet breath. Kaiba felt his heart race and he felt Yami struggle upwards, grabbing at his shirt attempting to climb him. In one smooth movement, Kaiba wrapped his arms firmly around Yami and lifted him, trapping his arms at his sides and pressing him against his body so tightly he could feel Yami's belts digging through his thin t-shirt.

He could feel Yami gasp with surprise and Kaiba quickly swung around to the open car door behind him and bent down carefully, setting Yami down in the seat.

"Hey!" Yami protested, attempting to climb out again, but Hiro quickly lifted his knees and pushed them in, shutting the door with slam. Yami sat in stunned silence, the sudden quiet of the car and the crunching of Hiro's footsteps on the pavement as he circled the car, shocked him to his senses.

The driver's door opened and Hiro climbed in gracefully, tucking his long legs into the car.

"Let's get you home, okay?" Kaiba said softly, and he locked the doors for a good measure, in case Yami had any ideas about making things difficult again.

Yami heard the locks click with a loud _clack!_ and glanced over at Hiro who was studying him closely. "I don't want to." he said, slowly leaning back into the seat, accepting defeat.

"You can complain the whole way back, I'll gladly listen." Hiro said seriously. The engine roared to life and Hiro leaned his hand against Yami's headrest as he backed out of the space carefully.

Yami's eyes followed Hiro's arm upwards and he placed his hand firmly on his wrist, gripping him tightly.

"You can grab my arm all you want, I can drive with one hand." Hiro said teasingly, placing his hand carefully on the throttle, keeping his eyes on the road.

Yami said nothing and crept his hand slowly over the top of Hiro's pale hands, which were significantly larger than his. He pressed his fingers in through the top of Hiro's hand, lacing his fingers together, and held on firmly.

Kaiba felt the gentle warmth from Yami's hand envelop his, and he tried not to react, pulling smoothly onto the freeway. Cars zipped by and Yami felt oddly disgruntled, the feeling of Hiro's hand underneath his felt strangely familiar, yet...strangely foreign. Yami looked over at Hiro's striking profile and leaned away from him slightly, squinting at him. _  
_

_The structure of his face is_ so _similar to Kaiba's_ , Yami thought, his mouth running dry. _Almost too similar, it's unnerving!_

Yami studied Hiro's profile more carefully, noting the strong angle of his jawline slanting upwards with his high cheekbones, curving across his narrow face, meeting at his slender nose, dipping down over a thin cupid's bow, onto a set of perfectly shaped lips.

Kaiba felt Yami's eyes burning through him like fire and his grip tightened on the throttle. He looked over, meeting Yami's dark violet gaze. "What is it?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Yami tore his eyes away from Hiro's face and looked out his window, quickly withdrawing his hand away and back onto his lap. "Nothing." Yami said quickly.

Kaiba nodded slowly and resisted the urge to shoot a glare at Yami. He _hated it_ when Yami answered his questions with one word answers, especially when it clearly wasn't 'nothing'.

"You can tell me," he said, attempting to repeat the sentiment from earlier.

Yami shook his head and tucked his hands under his thighs, staring resolutely out the window, lost in thought. _I suppose I find Kaiba attractive, but the feelings I'm experiencing here are unnatural_ , Yami thought darkly. _I've only just met this person, it hasn't been a week and we've done everything backwards._

Yami recalled all the romantic movies he had watched with Yugi; they all usually started with hand-holding as the first step, not...Yami felt himself shudder as he recalled the events from this morning, Hiro's gleeful look as he rammed his arousal repeatedly into his open mouth with force.

Kaiba noticed Yami shifting strangely in his seat, and he pulled off the freeway, driving through a small residential area lined with trees in full bloom. Wind whipped the branches around as flower petals caught on the windshield and gathered at the bottom of the wipers.

Yami watched the small, pink petals stick on the windows as they drove by slowly. He turned towards Hiro, a small bubble of panic rising in his throat, "This isn't the way back."

Hiro tossed the black hair out of his eyes and smiled charmingly at Yami, "This is the scenic route. Isn't it beautiful?"

Yami blinked at him, speechless, and Kaiba cleverly lowered the window open halfway, the wind brushed a few petals into the car, catching in Yami's bangs. Startled, Yami shook them out of his hair and watched them float onto his lap as Hiro's hearty laugh filled the car. Furrowing his brow slightly, Yami watched as Hiro threw his head back, laughing deeply.

Yami felt his chest tighten painfully, and he felt his eyes heat up as tears welled up in the corners. _There was no way this man, despite the physical similarities to Seto Kaiba, could_ ever _replace Kaiba himself,_ Yami thought and he forced himself to look away.

Kaiba noticed Yami flick his head to the side and was worried he had offended him.

Yami heard Hiro speak up softly, "Hey, I didn't mean to make you mad, that was just...that was cute." Hiro threw him a casual grin, showing off a set of perfect, white teeth. Yami blinked and felt a a hot tear curl down his cheek, his face burning with emotion. Yami resolutely kept towards the window, hoping Hiro wouldn't notice.

Kaiba turned the corner, slowly driving through another row of blooming trees. He glanced over at Yami who was pointed away from him, his knees pushed agaisnt the edge of the door, his nose almost pressing the glass.

Kaiba felt pleased, thinking Yami was enjoying himself, until he glanced over again, noticing spots of wetness gathering atop his leather pants. His heart dropped to his feet and he stepped on the pedal heavily. The car lurched to a stop, smack in the middle of the road between a row of beautiful town homes. Kaiba saw Yami's elbows tighten, bracing himself agaisnt the momentum of the car stopping.

He shut the car off suddenly, hoping it would make Yami turn to face him.

Yami didn't move.

Kaiba sighed and leaned back in his seat silently, wondering if he should speak first, or wait for Yami to compose himself. There was a long silence as Kaiba waited, his levels of concern raising dramatically as the minutes ticked by. Soft, pink petals drifted in through the open window, gathering in their laps as they sat still, with no sound other than the breeze rustling the branches above them.

It seemed like Yami wasn't going to speak so Kaiba cleared his throat softly, waiting for a reaction. He watched as another tear landed on Yami's pants and roll off the side, leaving a small trail of droplets behind it.

 _Oh god_ , Kaiba panned, _what the fuck did I do wrong now.  
_

"If it's something I did, I apologize." Kaiba said shortly, hoping to diffuse the situation. He watched Yami shake his head, still facing away from him.

"It wasn't something I did?" Kaiba asked hopefully. Again, Yami shook his head.

 _Okay, then what the fuck is it?_ Kaiba thought, frustrated.

"Want a closer look at these trees? They only bloom this time of year. I know you like flowers like these." Kaiba said lightly, brushing some petals off of his knee with a shaking hand.

Yami shook his head again and slid his hands out from under his thighs, bringing them up to palm his face in embarrassment, tears leaking out from behind his fingers.

This sight was distressing Kaiba greatly. "Please, tell me what's wrong." he mumbled, releasing his seat belt and leaning across the divide, lightly wrapping his fingers around Yami's slender wrists, trying to pull his hands away from his face. He felt Yami resist, shoving his face deeper into his hands, his shoulders beginning to shake violently, deep shudders racked his body, as he tried repressing the sobs into his hands.

Kaiba felt stricken, unsure of how to react. The sight of his rival, shamelessly, openly crying before him was worrying him greatly. "No, don't-don't do that." Kaiba murmured, gently brushing Yami's blond bangs aside, and rubbed his back in soft, reassuring circles, attempting to calm him down.

Yami felt Hiro touch him gently, speak to him gently, rub his back gently, and he couldn't take it anymore. This was everything he wanted, everything he craved, but from the wrong person. He couldn't control the sobs that wrenched themselves up from deep within him. This was embarrassing, this was a stranger, this was wrong, but it felt so good, it felt so right...

Yami choked on his tears, leaning away from Hiro's touch, bracing his knees, curling himself up into a ball, wishing everything would disappear. _What am I doing, crying in the car of a stranger I've just met?! What am I doing, kissing him, having sex with him?_ Yami reeled, feeling the wetness from his tears gather in his palms suffocating him.

The car door opened suddenly, catching him by surprise. Strong arms grabbed him, pulling him out of his seat and into a crushing embrace. Yami felt his hands pressing painfully into his face as Hiro's palm found its way around the back of his head, pushing him into his thin t-shirt. Hiro's chest felt so solid, like it was cut from stone as Yami could feel the curve of his muscles agaisnt the backs of his fingertips.

"O-ow." Yami said, his voice muffed through his hands.

"Sorry." Kaiba said gruffly, releasing him. He watched as Yami pulled his palms slowly away from his face, surveying the mass of tears that were flowing uncontrollably down his face. Before Yami could cup his face again, Kaiba grabbed Yami's hand and pulled him away from the car and onto the sidewalk. Yami allowed himself to be led away, keeping his head down in embarrassment, watching his feet step over blurry piles of pink petals.

Hiro gently placed his large hands on the sides of his face and lifted his head upwards. Feeling detached, Yami let him, and he gazed into Hiro's deep brown eyes, thick black hair covering most of his brows, exactly the way they covered Seto Kaiba's. Yami felt his throat constrict painfully as tears fell from his eyes, dripping down the edges of Hiro's hands.

"Stop!" Kaiba cried desperately, "Tell me what's wrong!" He felt Yami attempt to shake his head against in his grip, blinking his large, wet, violet eyes. Kaiba pulled Yami's face towards him and kissed him deeply out of sheer desperation. He felt the wetness from Yami's face transfer onto his cheek, and onto his nose. Kaiba pulled away and swept his thumbs over Yami's cheeks softly, attempting to dry them. Realizing that was a futile effort, Kaiba quickly wiped his hands on his jeans and pressed Yami's face into this shirt, feeling the wetness leave an imprint on his chest.

Yami felt his will to fight leave his body as Hiro pushed his face onto his shirt, trying to dry his face.

Hiro's hands cupped his face and pulled his head back, their eyes met, and Hiro kissed him passionately again, his lips were warm and reassuring. Yami felt his head spin wildly, as Hiro pulled away again, shoving his face back into his muscled chest, and then yanking his head back to kiss him intensely again.

Weak and exhausted from crying, Yami let Hiro do as he pleased, his arms hanging uselessly at his sides, his eyes half-open, his face still damp with tears. Yami felt his stomach clench painfully as his muscles cramped from the pain of his dry heaving.

Kaiba was starting to feel exasperated, "Okay now, can you tell me what's wrong?" he asked, running his hands down Yami's shaking shoulders, squeezing him gently.

"I'm a fool," Yami cried, blinking wildly, "I'm trying to stop...I can't..!"

"Take a deep breath and hold it." Kaiba commanded, and he watched Yami's thin frame tremble with effort as he drew a deep, shaky breath, pausing. Yami felt himself convulse as a dry heave threatened to consume him.

"Let it out," Kaiba said, biting his tongue, watching Yami release his breath out with a soft _whoosh!_

"Now, do another." Kaiba said sternly, gripping Yami's shoulders tightly, watching his face closely. Yami inhaled deeply, this time, his heaving had subsided. He rocked back and forth precariously on his heels; Kaiba dug his thumbs into Yami's arms, holding him steady.

"And another." Kaiba said, shaking Yami slightly, feeling a small wave of relief wash over him as Yami visibly began to calm down. Yami took in another breath as his tears stopped flowing and his breathing became a steady, even rhythm, once again.

"Now, look up." Kaiba said, with a small smile, hoping it would brighten Yami's mood.

Yami obliged and tilted his head upwards, and he felt a strange calm settle over him. Beautiful pink blossoms gathered together fully, on wide branches, reaching out as far as he could see, covering the sky. Sunlight dotted behind them as it filtered through the sheets of flowers, the transparency of the delicate petals astounded him, Yami watched them sway in the wind, mesmerized by their movement. The wind carried a few loose petals through the air, and Yami watched them settle on top of Hiro's head, the pink contrasting wondrously with his black hair.

His eyes traveled down from Hiro's head and onto his face. "Better now?" Hiro asked him, his face drawn together with deep concern.

Yami managed a small laugh, and nodded, feeling chest grow sore. He watched as Hiro narrowed his eyes at him, "Okay. good." he said, his dark brown eyes traveling over his face carefully. Yami unwittingly felt himself blush and he looked back towards the car which was parked obnoxiously in the middle of the road, doors wide open, pink petals blowing in through every opening.

"Your car might need a cleaning." Yami said, feeling himself smile. He saw Hiro whip his head towards the car and yell loudly, releasing him suddenly and rushing over to it and attempting to brush the petals out of the leather seats.

Yami felt himself laugh, and Hiro perked his head up over the roof of the car, looking relieved.

 _Thank god_ , Kaiba thought darkly, bending back down to pick petals out from the cracks of the seats, _now I can finally take him home. I'll be damned if I dropped him off at his doorstep looking like a huge mess. Yugi might just murder me on the spot.  
_

Yami lifted his head up towards the flowers again and held his palms upwards, trying to catch some of the petals, feeling the wind them slide through his fingertips. _I'm such a fool_ , Yami berated himself, _I don't know what I'm doing, but if I'm being treated right, does it really matter?_

Yami glanced over at Hiro's tall figure, bent gracefully into the back seat, still frantically brushing bits of flowers out from the car.

 _It doesn't matter_ , Yami decided, _Hiro is a happy, loving, kind, and considerate person. Definitely one thousand times a better person than Kaiba is on any given day, even if I do crave the fiery challenges, insults, and sarcastic remarks._

He watched as Hiro leaned breathlessly against the door frame, having sufficiently picked the car clean of petals.

"Ready to go home?" Hiro called, the corners of his lips curving upwards into a smile.

Yami took one last look up at the trees and nodded, walking over to the car and getting in quickly. Hiro climbed in beside him and shut the door, a few more petals sneaking their way in, landing on his lap. Yami looked at him, waiting for a reaction, but Hiro ignored it, and started the engine, the car vibrated loudly and they drove off slowly.

Pulling onto the freeway, Kaiba carefully glanced over at Yami again, making sure the waterworks weren't about to start again, but to his relief, he seemed to be acting normally, looking straight ahead onto the road, his hands folded loosely in his lap.

Kaiba reached over and gently covered the tops of Yami's slender hands with his, feeling Yami's knuckles pressing into his palms. Kaiba cautiously slipped his fingers underneath Yami's hands and locked their fingers together. He pulled Yami's knuckles towards his lips, kissing them lightly.

Yami shuddered as he felt Hiro's breath heat the back of his hand, as his lips grazed his knuckles lightly. He saw Hiro sneak a look at him, checking on him. Yami smiled back and wiggled his fingers playfully in his grasp. Hiro nodded, but kept his hand firmly cradled agaisnt his face. Yami felt his a nervous flutter as Hiro kept his hand captive for the rest of the drive. It wasn't until they pulled up by the Kame Game Shop, that Hiro let his hand go. Yami hung his head, unsure of how to apologize for his earlier behavior, and unsure of how to properly express his thanks.

"Text me," Hiro said, the back of his hand brushing up on his cheek softly, trailing down to his chin and lifting his head back up. "That look doesn't suit you. You look better angry, any day."

Yami blinked and swallowed, "Thank you, and I'm sorry...I-" Hiro's thumb pressed lightly on his lower lip, and his long fingers caressed the edge of his jaw firmly.

"Text me." Kaiba repeated, staring intently into Yami's eyes, looking for signs of wetness.

Yami nodded and let himself out of the car. He walked to the front door and turned to watch Hiro back his car up, the roaring engine echoing off the neighboring buildings as he drove off into the distance. Yami felt around in his pockets and fished out his keys, letting himself into the shop, he closed the door gently behind him, the bell jingling merrily behind him.


	8. I couldn't catch your eye

Kaiba gripped the steering wheel, speeding dangerously on the freeway, replaying everything in his head over an over.

 _What the hell is wrong with him?_ Kaiba fumed, _One minute he's happy and the next, he's crying. He keeps saying 'it's nothing, it's nothing, it's nothing'!_ He slowly increased the pressure on the pedal, feeling a vicious satisfaction as the needle passed the red line on his speedometer.

 _Is something happening in the Motou household that I'm not a aware of?_ Kaiba thought furiously, _Was he in a fight with Yugi? Did he not enjoy the lunch? He caught me in an obvious lie, but I wormed my way out of that one!_

Releasing the gas pedal, the car began to slow down easily, blending into traffic seamlessly. Kaiba's hand rested on the clutch, the ghostly feeling of Yami's touch lingered above his hand. He curled his hand back, clenching his fist.

 _I'm getting carried away_ , Kaiba screamed at himself internally, _I'm kissing and touching him freely, and he reciprocates one hundred percent! What the fuck am I doing?!_

Kaiba frowned, exiting the freeway, applying pressure to the brakes. _It shouldn't be this easy, Yami isn't that type of person, ...or is he?_ Kaiba mused, unsure of what to think. _Does he kiss every stranger he comes across?_ His mind drew up the image of Yami's eyes following the attractive, blond maitre d' from the restaurant, and Kaiba resumed his tight grip on the wheel, watching his knuckles turn white.

 _Yea, he was definitely staring at that other guy,_ Kaiba fumed, realizing he wasn't fully aware of where he was going. Forcing himself to calm down, he took note of his surroundings; he was near the shopping strip again. He suddenly remembered the original reason he headed out today-he needed to expand his casual wardrobe! Cursing under his breath, Kaiba pulled off the freeway and headed back towards the shopping complex.

* * *

Yami leaned agaisnt the door of the game shop, feeling the cool glass seep through the back of his jacket. Quickly flipping the "Open" sign around, he turned the lights on and walked behind the counter, searching for the to-do list Yugi always left behind. He found it easily, tucked under a note that read, "Yami, group project might run late, deadline near. I'll be eating dinner with my group. Make sure you eat too! Love you!"

Yami sighed and tucked the note away into the store notebook with the stack of similar notes. He always made sure to keep every single one of Yugi's notes, although he wasn't sure if Yugi was aware of his strange habit. Yami glanced at the first task on the list: Sweep.

Grumbling, Yami grabbed the broom and started at the far corner of the room, noticing the floor was quite dusty given the amount of wind they've been experiencing. He leaned agaisnt his broom, staring at the shelves of games, not really seeing them.

 _I need to apologize properly to Hiro_ , Yami thought, feeling guilty. _It seems like I'm always apologizing for something or other these days._

He looked down at the little pile of dust he'd gathered.

 _If I want to be happy with Hiro, I need to give myself closure with Kaiba,_ Yami thought sullenly, _perhaps I should just let him reject me. That way, I can freely go with Hiro without anything holding me back._

He continued sweeping vigorously, wondering when he should approach Kaiba.

Yami hummed thoughtfully and pulled out his phone, texting Yugi. "When will you be home?" he asked, and to his surprise, his phone buzzed quickly as Yugi responded immediately with "Late, like past midnight. We have a lot riding on this last project!"

"Got it, be safe Aibou." Yami responded, and he clicked his phone screen shut, deciding he was going to meet Kaiba tonight. The sooner the better, seeing as how he and Hiro were growing closer, abnormally fast. Clearing his feelings, along with his conscious would help immensely. His shoulders lighten at this prospect, Yami quickly finished cleaning the store and moved on to the next task on the list.

* * *

Kaiba circled a display mounted with two mannequins, eyeing the stitching on the clothes. He glanced up at the store sign, unable to recognize the brand and he decided to move on. It had been like this for several stores now and he was becoming irritated.

 _Wasn't this supposed to be an upscale area? Why did all the textiles look as though they'd been chosen by a vision impaired teenager in the throes of angst?!_ Kaiba thought angrily, suddenly understanding and appreciating the careful selection of attire his secretary had chosen for him.

He stepped into another shop, noting the monotone decor and felt slightly better. A female employee, about his age, approached him confidently, "Is there anything I can help you find?" she asked, standing politely off to the side. She was wearing a black collared shirt with a simple gold embroidered design, hugging the tips of her cuffs and collar. Suddenly an image of Yami wearing the shirt, with the buttons half undone, flashed across his vision, and Kaiba shook his head stiffly, feeling himself go stir-crazy.

"I'll be here if you need anything." she said silkily and turned to leave.

"Actually," Kaiba heard himself speak before fully realizing it, "The shirt you're currently wearing..."

"Oh this!" She brightened up, and gestured for him to follow, "This is actually part of our spring his/hers collection! Come take a look, if you like this shirt, I'm sure you'd like the whole collection."

They approached a row of neatly lined shirts and trousers, arranged in an attractive gradient from white, to grey, to black. Kaiba raise his eyebrows, impressed. The female employee spoke up again, "One more thing, our items are European sized, so if you have any issues with the conversion, I'm happy to help."

Relieved, Kaiba nodded at her in thanks. European sizes fit his tall figure more precisely, which shouldn't be an issue. He walked forward and ran his hands through the fabrics, feeling their weight in his hands. It felt good, the shirts were light, but sturdy. Kaiba ran his arm down the length of a few pants that were hanging nearby. They were made with an interesting material that shone back at him at certain angles, feeling slightly stretchy. _Probably some kind of nylon-blend for hotter days_ , Kaiba noted to himself.

The employee noticed Kaiba patting the material down carefully.

"There's a similar pair, in our active wear section." she said hopefully. Kaiba shook his head and pushed them aside on the rack, noticing the next few pairs of white, grey, and black jeans.

He ran his fingers down the seam lines, feeling the material rub back at him, the dark dye had a strange texture, which also gave off an attractive sheen. He moved past the pants and ran his hands across several light jackets, blazers, vests, and sweaters. Many of them had long lapels, thick collars, and deep pockets which Kaiba was quite fond of. He slid the outerwear aside and arrived at a series of very thin undershirts with a bold, monochrome pattern, paired with slim, plain, cotton shorts.

He turned to the employee and she quickly explained, "Lounge wear." Kaiba nodded and realized he had reached the end of the men's selection. Women's tops were a few inches away. Kaiba spotted the embroidered collar peeking out between a few other articles. He passed his hand gracefully between the hangers and drew the shirt out, studying it carefully. Quickly placing it back on the rack, he quickly flipped through the other skirts and tights. He reached the end of the rack and he turned to the female employee. "I'll take everything on the men's rack, including the shirt." Kaiba said, gesturing towards the women's rack.

The female employee blinked at him, "O-Of course, let me get my manager." she mumbled and she hurried away. Kaiba eyed the rest of the store, looking for anything else he may need. He glanced at his watch and noticed it was getting late. Kaiba frowned, annoyed. He really wanted to hit up several other stores instead of just one, but it seemed like this would have to do for now.

The manager approached him, holding an electronic pad, asking him to select his sizes and styles off the screen. Kaiba quickly tapped the options, deciding to grab a dark vest in Mokuba's size as well. He handed the pad back to the manager, and she walked briskly over glass counter and the other employee quickly appeared with a large stack of boxes.

"Will you be able to carry all of these?" the manager asked, worried.

Kaiba eyed the stack readily, "I'll be fine." he said.

The manager began keying in the items lighting fast, mumbling under her breath, and the items popped before Kaiba on another screen, detailing his purchases. Kaiba glanced over at the manager again, realizing she wasn't referring to a chart for the codes-she had them all memorized. He raised his eyebrows, intrigued.

"How long have you worked here?" he asked casually.

"About 2 years," She responded, squinting at the screen, still keying in items.

"And you manage to remember all that without a chart?" Kaiba asked, his curiosity mounting.

"It's kinda part of the job," she said flatly, "We get new collections in every season, and our brand has something agaisnt tags, which they say cheapens the appearance of our outfits, which is stupid if you ask me."

"That is stupid. Then what the hell are bar codes for?" Kaiba said bluntly.

"Right? It makes our job so difficult, just for an aesthetic." The other female employee chimed in, "But Anne is _great_ at this, she's got the memory of a computer!"

"Yep." Anne said, staring at the screen, her eyes darting up and down the chart quickly, "I'm good with faces too. Take a look at that and see if I missed anything." she said, pointing at the screen in front of Kaiba. He leaned forward and scrolled through, nodding, satisfied.

"Right, your total today will be six thousand, four hundred and thirty-five dollars." She said firmly without blinking an eye.

Kaiba was starting to appreciate the way this woman was handling their transaction, "What's your educational background?" he asked, briefly considering hiring her on as his personal secondary record keeper. She looked up at him, stammering "Oh, well, ah, school wasn't really my thing, see, I didn't graduate high school."

Kaiba blinked, trying to hide his surprise and he smoothly her his credit card. "You're good with faces, you're good with numbers, have you considered working elsewhere?"

Anne slid his card absentmindedly, "Of course, who hasn't thought that." she said, looking over at her co-worker, who nodded in agreement. "But, this is what pays my bills. So I am stuck here." she said with a grimace.

Kaiba nodded gravely, "I'm sorry to hear that." he said, watching the loading bar on the screen, waiting for the transaction to clear.

"What about you? What do you do?" Anne asked him, tapping his card impatiently against the counter, briefly looking him up and down. "Are you a personal shopper? You kinda look like a student, no offense."

"No offense taken," Kaiba replied as the screen turned clear, indicating the transaction had gone through.

The women were staring at him quietly. "What?" Kaiba asked, looking at them feeling confused, and then he realize he hadn't answered their question.

"Oh. I am..." Kaiba faltered, glancing at his credit card in Anne's hand, his was name printed clearly across the sliver surface, but neither of them had bothered to check his ID before the purchases.

"Ahhh don't worry about it," Anne laughed lightly, her coworker nodding, quickly bagging several of the boxes in sleek, white shopping bags with thick ribbon handles. All of his purchases fit neatly into 5 large bags. It was quite manageable.

"I was going to say, I was hiring." Kaiba corrected himself, brushing his black hair out of his eyes.

The women paused and laughed together in unison, "Okay, what's the job? If it pays more than what we make here, maybe." the other employee said, tossing her hair suggestively. "We know we have other options. This is a notable European brand with high pay and awesome benefits."

"How much do you make?" Kaiba asked, unable to stop himself.

"As a manager, I make about $40 an hour." Anne said, glancing at her coworker. "And regular employees make about $20. That's including commissions we get from our sales. You helped us out here a lot today!"

Kaiba clenched his fist, gritting his teeth. _That's more than what I make at the fucking bakery!_ he fumed privately.

Anne read his expression clearly and nodded, "Yea it's pretty good. Probably more than what you make as a personal shopper, no offense."

"I take great offense to that." Kaiba said roughly and the women giggled flirtatiously, thinking it was a joke.

"Thank you for coming! Here's your card back before I forget," Anne said coyly, sliding the card across the glass. "And come back anytime! I'll definitely remember you."

Kaiba picked up his credit card and slid it carefully back into his wallet. In a separate pocket, he pulled out his personal business card and placed it onto the glass. It was a sliver of crystal-clear acrylic, with his name and personal number embossed in a light, silver font.

"Call this number and schedule a meeting if you want to make upwards to _at least_ $120 an hour, Anne." Kaiba said shortly, and he grabbed the bags swiftly by the handles and turned to leave.

He heard the women collectively gasp behind him and he smirked, continuing on his way out.

"Wait!" he heard Anne call out. "Are you joking? Is this a prank?!"

Kaiba turned around, the bags swinging agaisnt his long legs, "No, it isn't a prank."

The women exchanged hesitant looks, "Um, are you sure this is _legal?_ Do you have Seto Kaiba's permission to hand out his business card to random strangers?!" Anne said, her voice rising shrilly. "I mean, if this was a way to get us to go on a date with you, we sure would! You don't need to do _this!_ " she cried, sliding the card back across the counter at him.

"What?!" Kaiba asked, feeling impatient. But then he stopped, realizing, that he had once again forgotten what he looked like.

"Ah right.." Kaiba said, setting the bags down at the feet of the nearest mannequin and strode purposely back over to the glass counter.

"You know, ladies," Kaiba said smirking, "They say Seto Kaiba's a real asshole. If you call that number, I'll probably get fired, and then you can take my place."

The women looked at each other uncertainly. "We wouldn't want to do that to you.."

"Oh, I think you do." Kaiba said slyly, "A _personal shopper_ like myself, makes three times the amount the two of you make, _combined._ Call the number, help him out, he needs a secondary record keeper, Anne you seem like you could do the job well."

Anne narrowed her eyes at him and tucked her hair behind her ear, "But it's totally on _you_ if you get the fall for this."

"Yep." Kaiba said simply, folding his hands across his chest firmly, waiting for the phone to ring in his back pocket.

He watched as Anne reached under the counter and retrieved her phone. She squinted at the card, holding it up to the light and quickly tapped the number into the phone. She set the phone on the counter as the call button glowed green, brightly.

"And just so there's no confusion," Anne said, as the phone began to vibrate in Kaiba's back pocket, "I'll be putting this on speaker, if this is a joke, I'll call security on you."

"Suit yourself." Kaiba sneered, feeling his back pocket vibrate more heavily.

The women eyed him apprehensively and Anne hit the speaker button, the ringing sounded out through the store.

"He's not picking up." Anne said shrugging.

"He is now." Kaiba said, reaching into his pocket and he palmed his phone, bringing it quickly up to his ear. "And now he's speaking." he said, trying to repress a laugh, finding it amusing to refer to himself in third person.

The women threw him disgusted looks which quickly turned into horror when they looked down at the phone sitting on the counter, as the 'talk' button glowed back at them.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Kaiba said dully, "I'm going to hang up." His voice echoed back and forth on the speaker phone, and the women stared, their mouths hanging open.

Anne picked up her phone, slowly tapping the button deactivating speakerphone, and held it up to her ear with a trembling hand.

"Who is this." Kaiba demanded, shooting her an evil grin.

Anne's eyes widened considerably and she gripped the counter, steadying herself, "This is Anne?" she said, her eyes darting all around his face and looking frantically back to her co-worker.

"Are you asking me if your name is Anne?" Kaiba scoffed, "Get to the point."

Shocked, Anne's grip loosened on the phone, and it slipped from her ear a little.

"Oh my god is this real?!" her coworker asked, clearly shocked.

"Um...your personal shopper ...gave me your card and said you were hiring? So, hire me." Anne said, smiling nervously at Kaiba.

Kaiba smiled back, genuinely this time, "Tomorrow afternoon, I'll have you come in, take a typing test, along with a few other aptitude tests, and bring legal documents. The screening will include a background check."

"I...don't have any experience. What if I don't pass your tests?" Anna said nervously, the phone slipped lower on her chin as she continued to stare at him with disbelief.

"You don't need to worry too much about passing them. Not many people can." Kaiba said, hanging up the phone. "They're merely there to make sure you're a functioning human being. Don't be late. My secretary will be expecting you."

And with that, he turned around and gathered up his bags by the entrance where he'd left them, and he elbowed the door open. He turned to glance over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of the two women jumping up and down with excitement and hugging each other tightly.

Feeling his spirits lift a little, Kaiba made his way back to his car and carefully lowered the bags into his trunk. He climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine smoothly and quickly driving off.

His mind was blissfully blank throughout the entire drive. Kaiba pulled onto his property and carefully parked the car back into his private garage. He stepped out casually and glanced around the quiet room; his other cars gleamed back at him, as if taunting about him something.

He suddenly realized he hadn't texted Mokuba to check if he was home before entering the house. Pulling out his phone, Kaiba quickly tapped out a message," Where are you right now?"

After a moment, his phone screen glowed with Mokuba's response "I'm in my room, reading. Are you coming home?"

"Soon." Kaiba replied and clicked his phone shut and deciding it'd be better to sneak in.

Leaving the purchases in the trunk of the car, Kaiba quickly exited the garage and headed upstairs cautiously, listening for any sound coming out of Mokuba's room. Stepping carefully up the grand staircase leading up to their rooms, Kaiba saw Mokuba's door, wide open.

He stood at the top of the stairs, staring down the hallway, considering his options.

 _Shit_ , Kaiba cursed, _I hope he doesn't see me._

Kaiba eyed the door to his room, which was closed, and locked. Kaiba cursed himself for his habits, glaring at the grey plastic sensor next to the door frame, which glowed red. He reached into his wallet and fished out his key card, gripping it tightly. He would have to unlock the door with only have a few seconds to spare, in case Mokuba decided to poke his head out to check and see if it was him. And that would be bad. He would be seen, looking like a stranger trying to break-in.

Kaiba held his breath and walked quietly right up to the edge of Mokuba's door, taking one long, deliberate step, he passed across the opening quickly and dashed towards his door. He heard the rustle of Mokuba placing his book down and he tensed up, trying to stay calm, he slapped his card agaisnt the reader. He heard the lock click just as Mokuba's footsteps came thumping across the floor. In full panic, Kaiba gripped the doorknob and turned it forcefully, pushing his door open a slight crack, attempting to slide in quietly, he stuck a foot into his room just as he heard Mokuba's gasp behind him.

 _Well...shit!_ Kaiba felt the sweat from his palms cause his fingers to slip dreadfully on the doorknob.

"S-SETO?!" Mokuba cried, bringing his fists up to his eyes and rubbing them, hard. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and opened them again, staring at the back of a man who was dressed in a light grey t-shirt and dark jeans, with a head of black hair, and was very similar in height to his brother. The stranger was standing, unmoving, at the opening of Seto's room, one foot in the doorway.

Kaiba heard Mokuba call his name and he didn't turn around. His mind was too busy racing for a story, an excuse, a truth, a lie, anything believable.

Mokuba glanced at the lock and noticed it had turned green.

 _That means ...either this is Seto, or this is someone who took Seto's key card!_ Mokuba realized, fear coursing through his body. He clenched his fist and slipped his hand into his pocket, resting his finger on the emergency button on his phone, and he stepped hesitantly out of his room facing the stranger bravely.

"Turn around!" Mokuba yelled, his voice cracking with hesitation.

Accepting the fact that he was going to have to thoroughly explain himself, Kaiba released the doorknob and flexed his fingers painfully, "It's me, Mokuba. Go back to your book." He turned around very slowly and felt the weight of the door close behind him, the door locked again with a click. Kaiba stood before Mokuba, who was staring at him with a slight mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Mokuba blinked, confused. The stranger sounded exactly like Seto but he looked exactly like... _the new guy from Yugi's group of friends._

"Seto? Is that really you?" Mokuba asked, his hand gripped his phone even tighter, his uncertainty rising.

"Yes, it's me Mokuba." Kaiba repeated, feeling impatient. "I'm going to take a quick shower, and we'll talk."

Mokuba shook his head, and pulled his phone out of his pocket, holding it threateningly in front of him, "Prove that you're Seto!"

"I will look more like myself once I rinse this stuff off." Kaiba said gently, bending down on one knee and holding his arms out reassuringly, "Come, give me a hug."

Mokuba stood very still, feeling conflicted. "Wh-What's for dinner?" he asked lamely.

Kaiba smiled, "I'll make your favorite bacon and potato salad sandwiches, and I'll even make some dessert."

Upon hearing that, Mokuba approached his older brother carefully, and Kaiba pulled him into a tight embrace. Mokuba blinked agaisnt the softness of Seto's t-shirt, a strange, unfamiliar feeling, but the weight of Seto's arms wrapping around him warmly, was familiar.

"It really is you..." Mokuba mumbled into his shirt.

Kaiba let out a deep laugh, and Mokuba gripped his shirt tightly. It had been a while since he had heard Seto laugh genuinely.

"Did something good happen?" Mokuba asked tentatively as Seto released him gently.

"You could say that," Kaiba replied, smiling.

Mokuba stared and stared at his brother, trying to stamp every detail of Seto's smile into his memory. He nodded wordlessly and watched as his older brother stood and tapped the key card agaisnt the reader.

It beeped green and Kaiba pushed the door open widely, propping it open. He turned to Mokuba and said, "You can bring your book and read in here while I change. Go ahead, sit on the couch and wait."

Mokuba nodded again as his brother hurried into the bathroom and closed the door softly behind him. Mokuba stared at the door, unable to believe what had just happened. The sound of running water shocked him back to his senses, and Mokuba ran into his room to grab his book. He dashed back into Seto's room and made himself comfortable on the lounge in front of Kaiba's large desk.

Mokuba propped his feet up on the couch and flipped his book open, but the words were sliding off the page as his thoughts were straying. _Seto looks just like that new friend who showed up at Yugi's house!_ he thought, _was that just a coincidence?_

He heard a phone buzz agaisnt the desk and he hopped off the couch to investigate. Mokuba cautiously touched the phone, and the screen glowed brightly at him-it was the unlabeled number again.

 _Seto's girlfriend!_ Mokuba thought excitedly, remembering the password, he skillfully unlocked the phone.

"Come visit me tomorrow?" the text read.

Mokuba's eyes widened and he set the phone down quickly as he heard the water shut off. He ran back to the couch and resumed his reading position as innocently as possible.

Kaiba came out of the bathroom, ruffling his light brown hair into a towel, wearing his usual black turtleneck paired with a set of dark trousers.

"Seto!" Mokuba cried, sitting up suddenly, "Your phone was buzzing!"

"Was it?" Kaiba replied absentmindedly, picking up his phone, reading the message without blinking, and then setting his phone down casually again.

"Who was it?" Mokuba asked slyly, fishing for information, "And why were you wearing those clothes? Why did you dye your hair?!"

"I went out for a little shopping trip, and I didn't want anyone to recognize me." Kaiba replied cleverly dodging Mokuba's questions.

"You...went shopping?!" Mokuba asked incredulously. "What did you buy?"

"I'll show you," Kaiba replied heartily, holding out his hand, "Let's go downstairs. Hungry?"

"Yes!" Mokuba said happily, grabbing his book running up to his brother, holding his hand tightly, "Did you go with anyone?"

Kaiba led Mokuba down the stairs, chuckling lightly, "Maybe I did." he said vaguely. They entered the kitchen and Mokuba climbed up onto a bar stool facing a kitchen island, placing his book in front of him. "So it was a date?" Mokuba asked perceptively.

Kaiba ruffled Mokuba's hair playfully, "Keep your nosy questions to yourself." he said and he exited the kitchen, down a flight of stairs towards the garage.

Mokuba heard the tapping of Seto's footsteps fade away and he smiled to himself. That answer basically meant "yes". He heard the a car alarm beep and a door slam. Seto reappeared in the kitchen, carrying several large bags.

"Whoa!" Mokuba cried, surprised, "What's in there?"

"Something for you," Kaiba said, smiling again. Mokuba blinked, taken aback by all the sudden smiles he was receiving from his older brother. He swiveled around on his bar stool, watching Seto carefully set each box aside on the a coffee table nearby, opening them up one by one.

Kaiba quickly found the vest he had purchased and held it out to Mokuba, "Here, try it on."

 _Clothes?!_ Mokuba thought awestruck, hopping off the bar stool, _Seto usually never buys stuff like this!_

Mokuba slipped his arms through the vest as Seto held it up for him, feeling like he was 5 years old all over again, when Seto used to help him get ready in the mornings at the orphanage. He felt the vest settle comfortably on his shoulders, and his face grew hot, his eyes welling up with tears, blurring his vision. The vest fit perfectly, it was so soft, very warm and comfortable, with a little room to grow. It was similar enough to the other ones he owned, he could easily pair it with anything.

He glanced up at his big brother, who was admiring him from afar, head tilted to the side thoughtfully, "Hey not bad!" Seto said, with a pleased laugh.

Mokuba blinked, watching his older brother smile and laugh again, made him feel as though he was living in a familiar dream.

"Do you like it?" Kaiba asked him, pulling his brother in a light hug.

Mokuba blinked, feeling Seto's warmth enveloping him comfortably, as a single tear dripped down his face, "I love it," he choked.

Kaiba bent down on one knee and brushed the tear off of Mokuba's face. "What's wrong kiddo?" he asked softly, gently tugging strands the long hair out of Mokuba's face.

 _Why is everyone crying today?_ he thought to himself faintly. _First Yami, and now Mokuba._

"Nothing, Seto, I just really like it. Thank you!" Mokuba cried, throwing his arms around Kaiba's neck, embracing him tightly.

"Glad you do," Kaiba said, relieved, "Now let's get some food in you. Wanna take that off?"

"No, I'm gonna wear it now, until forever!" Mokuba insisted, his grip tightening around Kaiba's neck.

"Okay." Kaiba said, chuckling and picking Mokuba up, gently placing him back on the bar stool.

Mokuba watched Seto's back as he rummaged around the refrigerator, pulling out potatoes, bacon and butter. He looked down and picked up his book, opening it carelessly, letting the sides flop down on the counter. _If Seto is in such a good mood, maybe he'll say yes to go-karting with Yugi this weekend_ , Mokuba thought secretly, as he watched his brother skillfully skin the potatoes.

"Seto?" Mokuba spoke up cautiously, "So ...about go-karting with Yugi this weekend...can I go?"

Kaiba frowned, placing a pot onto the stove and quickly throwing the potatoes in, "What's the occasion?"

"Um...I dunno, fun?" Mokuba furrowed his brow, confused. _Did there need to be an occasion for going out with friends?_

"When and where?" Kaiba asked, pulling out pudding mix from the pantry, opening several packs into a large bowl.

"I didn't ask," Mokuba said quickly, "Cuz I didn't think you'd say yes."

"Well," Kaiba hummed, "If you do somehow manage to read ten books by this weekend, then you may go." he quickly whisked milk and cream into the power, turning it a sandy white.

"Really?!" Mokuba asked hopefully, "Then I'll definitely try!"

Kaiba nodded, distracted, digging around for graham crackers. He found them quickly and slid a few stacks into a plastic bag and pulled out a rolling pin. "Mokuba, come crush these into crumbs," he said, turning around to attend to the potatoes which were still boiling merrily in the pot.

"Okay!" Mokuba exclaimed, "Are you making pudding?! Cheesecake?!"

"Parfait," Kaiba said with a small smile, as Mokuba grabbed the rolling pin excitedly from his grasp and started smashing the crackers enthusiastically. The crunching sound echoed pleasantly throughout the kitchen, meshing nicely with the clacking of Kaiba's light chopping of vegetables.

Mokuba was in mid-smash when he heard his phone ring loudly in his pocket. Setting down the rolling pin, grabbed his phone and looked at the screen. It was from the Kame Game Shop.

"Hi Yugi!" Mokuba answered excitedly.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, "Not...Yugi." A deep voice replied awkwardly.

Mokuba felt his stomach flutter nervously, "Oh! Ah, sorry, Yami!" he corrected himself.

Kaiba froze in mid-chop, and he eyed Mokuba carefully. _What the hell was Yami doing, calling his little brother?_ The pot was bubbling, and Kaiba quickly hurried to the stove with a a fork in hand, and began carefully breaking the potato up into smaller pieces.

"Will your brother be available tonight? There's something I'd like to discuss with him." Yami said carefully.

"Um..." Mokuba glanced over at Seto, who was slowly mashing the potatoes with a stoic look on his face, "He's here now, do you wanna talk with him?"

Kaiba paused in his actions again, feeling dread creep up slowly around him. _What the hell?!_

"I think this would be better in person." Yami said quickly hoping to avoid all confrontation.

"I mean, you can ask him when he's free. Cuz I dunno how much stuff he has to left to do tonight." Mokuba said, clarifying.

"Ah..I see..well, I..." Yami stammered.

"Give me the phone Mokuba," Kaiba growled, setting the fork down suddenly, and he lifted the phone out of Mokuba's grasp.

"What." he said furiously into the receiver.

Mokuba frowned and turned around to stare at his half-mashed cracker crumbs, moodily stabbing his finger into the bag. _Seto immediately went from happy to angry in a second, and it's all Yami's fault_ , Mokuba thought, upset. _And now Seto's gonna be mad about it all through dinner._

"Kaiba...?" Yami asked, caught off guard.

"Yea it's me, what do you want." he growled, watching Mokuba poke at the bag of crumbs.

"I wanted to discuss...I wanted to know if you're free tonight." Yami said nervously.

"I heard that already." Kaiba replied impatiently, "What do you want to discuss?"

"May I do this in person?" Yami asked quietly, regretting the call more and more.

Kaiba took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair in frustration, "Okay." He glanced at the clock and realized it was quite late. "Have you eaten?" he asked without thinking.

Mokuba turned to look at him incredulously.

"Wh-what?" Yami said, not quite believing his ears.

"Have you. had dinner." Kaiba enunciated, clenching his teeth.

Yami blinked, his chest tightened, "I haven't yet..."

"Then I'll send a car over now." Kaiba said, quickly hanging up the phone. He texted Isono and he placed Mokuba's phone down on the counter. He sighed, and looked down at his brother who was staring at him strangely.

"Did you just invite him to have dinner with us?" Mokuba asked hopefully.

"Yea, I did, want me to un-invite him?" Kaiba responded coldly.

"No!" Mokuba cried, "That's fine! I like Yami!"

"Good." Kaiba said shortly, turning back to fold a few pats of butter into the mashed potatoes.

"Um, Seto, _why_ did you invite him?" Mokuba asked tentatively.

"Because he hadn't eaten yet." Kaiba responded, quickly sprinkling handfuls of bacon, chives, garlic, and parsley into the mix. He set the pot aside and threw the chopped vegetables into a pan, soaking them generously in chicken stock.

Mokuba was staring at his brother in disbelief, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"It's late, and he was coming over anyway." Kaiba said added, watching the vegetables simmer in the pan, a savory aroma was slowly filling the room. "Keep rolling, Mokuba, I need those crumbs soon."

Mokuba picked up the rolling pin and tapped it agaisnt the crackers, watching as more crumbs formed. He kept glancing over at Seto, wondering what had gotten into him. But the fact that he wasn't angry about Yami calling them in the middle of dinner was a good sign? Mokuba shook his head and beat the bag of crumbs vigorously.

 _Whatever the source of Seto's good mood may be, I'm not gonna ruin it_. _I'll just enjoy it for as long as I can now_ , Mokuba thought furtively. _Seto's rarely smiles, but now, his smiles a lot! He hugs me more, and even laughs._

Mokuba picked up the bag, shaking it, making sure everything had crumbled. "Done!" he said brightly, showing the bag off proudly.

"Good job," Kaiba praised, leaning down and kissing Mokuba's forehead quickly before taking the bag from his hands. Mokuba felt the tears slowly creep around the corners of his eyes, and he closed his eyes tightly, willing himself not to cry. "Anything else Seto?" he said happily, as Kaiba stirred the vegetables around in the pan.

"Hold on Mokuba," Kaiba said, and he reached into the shelves, grabbing a set of short wine glasses. "Wash your hands, and sprinkle the bottoms of these with crumbs. And here, pack it down with a spoon." he said, quickly handing his little brother a spoon.

"Kay!" Mokuba said, rushing to the sink and running the water over his hands. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Mokuba looked up excitedly, "Is that..?!"

Kaiba nodded silently and flipped the vegetables quickly onto a large plate. Grabbing a kitchen towel, he wiped his hands on it, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. He flung the towel over his shoulder out of habit and quickly walked into the main hallway to answer the door.

He pulled the door open and Yami was standing apprehensively before him, dressed in a simple, black hoodie and his usual leather pants, with his matching belts slung low on his hips. Kaiba tilted his head slightly, appreciating the change.

"Come in." He said, opening the door wider, stepping aside.

Yami swallowed dryly, his eyes slowly traveled up and down Kaiba's tall frame. A dishtowel was hanging casually off his shoulder, his black turtleneck hugged his muscular frame enticingly.

Yami carefully stepped inside, Kaiba tried not to react as Yami's spiky hair passed across his face, and images from their afternoon together flashed quickly before his eyes.

Yami stood there awkwardly as Kaiba shut the door behind him.

"This way," Kaiba said, striding past him and back into the kitchen, where Mokuba was almost finished packing the graham crumbs into the wine glasses.

"Hi Yami!" Mokuba said brightly, waving a crumb-covered spoon at him.

"Hello..." Yami said, blinking widly, taking in his surroundings. The kitchen was brightly lit, surrounded by tall cabinets and a sleek kitchen island was placed tastefully in the center, with several tall bar stools sitting tight agaisnt the sides. A delicious smell hung in the air, and something was sizzling on the stove.

"Sit." Kaiba said, turning around to mind the stove, picking up the boiled pot of mashed potatoes and shutting off the heat.

Yami cautiously sat himself down on a bar stool and watched the scene before him with interest. Mokuba was holding a wine glass in his tiny hands, packing brown crumbs at the bottom with a small spoon. Kaiba was facing away from him, with three plates set before him, spooning portions of food onto them. Two large slabs of meat were sizzling in the far back of the stove, and Yami watched as Kaiba added more broth to the mixture, stirring slowly.

"Done!" Mokuba cried, arranging the glasses neatly before him, looking at Seto for his approval.

Kaiba turned around and inspected the glasses, "Pretty good!" he said, passing by Mokuba to access the pantry again. "Last thing, shave these chocolates into a little bowl." He tossed a bag of chocolate truffles onto the counter and rummaged around for the grater.

"Okay!" Mokuba said brightly, eagerly opening the bag of chocolates with a _pop!_

"Careful with the grater, watch your fingers, okay?" Kaiba said, running his fingers over the edges.

"I know how to use a grater," Mokuba grumbled, grabbing it out of his brother's hand and hovered over the bag of chocolates, emptying them out onto the counter messily.

Kaiba looked over to Yami who was sitting pensively at the counter, watching them. He realized he'd forgotten his basic manners as a host. Walking over to the refrigerator, he yanked the door open and hummed thoughtfully, looking for a wine that would pair well with the meaty gravy.

He chose a powerful Italian wine and he placed it on the counter, popping the cork expertly with the back end of a vegetable knife.

Yami's eyes widened, watching Kaiba's slender fingers grip the neck of the wine bottle, as the cork went flying. It hit the edge of a nearby kettle with a loud _clang!_

"Nice shot," Mokuba commented, grinning. "10 points!"

"Thanks," Kaiba laughed, bending down to pick the cork up off the ground. "10 points if you can get this in the trash from where you're standing now."

"Ha!" Mokuba smirked, grabbing the cork from Seto's hand, "Easy."

Kaiba walked over and placed his foot on the lever of a sleek, silver garbage bin, holding it open, "Shoot." he said, a smile curving at the corners of his lips.

Yami's mouth fell open slightly as he watched, glancing nervously between the Kaiba brothers, unsure of what to think.

"He shoots...!" Mokuba cried, throwing the cork with all his might, aiming for the lid of the bin. It hit the back edge of the bin with soft clunk and fell neatly into the opening, "He scores!" Mokuba crowed triumphantly, punching the air.

Kaiba laughed a full laugh, throwing his head back, one hand on his hip, the other hand on his forehead, keeping the hair out of his eyes. Mokuba laughed along merrily, elated.

Yami was thunderstruck, _what was going on?!_

The stove began to sizzle and again and Kaiba composed himself, rushing to turn the heat down, stirring solidly. _The consistency is still a little runny,_ Kaiba thought uncertainly, dripping the gravy off the ladle, _I'll leave it on for a bit more._

He reached up to grab two wine glasses and he set them carefully on the counter, evenly pouring out a glass for Yami and himself. He pushed the drink across the counter towards Yami, and he stared down into his own glass. Swirling the liquid around the bottom, he inhaled, enjoying the woody aroma, knowing for a fact that Yami probably wouldn't like this flavor.

"Try it." he said, looking at Yami over the top of his wine.

Yami stared into Kaiba's icy blue eyes, and back down at his glass of wine, "Must I?" he said doubtfully.

Kaiba turned around to face the stove again and shrugged nonchalantly, "Whatever. More for me." he said, and he checked the gravy again. It looked much better, much thicker.

Mokuba watched Seto carefully, curious, but thankful he didn't get angry over the fact that Yami didn't want to try the wine. He looked down at his pile of chocolate shavings, some were starting to melt into the edges of the bowl. "Seto! Is this enough?" Mokuba asked anxiously, "They're melting!"

Kaiba was balancing a hot pan in one hand and a plate in another. He peered over Mokuba's shoulder and nodded, "That's about enough. We can always make more later. Throw it all in the fridge, along with that bowl." Kaiba tilted his head over to the mixture he had made earlier.

"Mmkay." Mokuba complied, his hands wrapping around the large bowl. He carried it unsteadily over towards the refrigerator and Yami roused himself to help.

"Ah, Thanks!" Mokuba said happily as Yami stood by, holding the refrigerator door open for him. Mokuba leaned in and set the bowl down onto the lowest shelf he could reach, and he hurried back to fetch the wine glasses full of crumbs.

"There's no room...!" Mokuba cried, dismayed, staring at the shelves and back into the wine glasses in his arms.

"We'll make room," Yami said gently, bending down to help re-arrange several items to make room for the wine glasses. He could feel Mokuba smiling at him as he picked up several heads of lettuce, placing them into the lower bins.

This felt so surreal, he was in Kaiba's home, re-arranging food in his refrigerator. The sheer absurdity of that thought made Yami hesitate, unsure if he should continue.

"Ooo take out those tomatoes!" Mokuba pointed, the wine glasses slipping in his arms slightly, "And the cheese."

Yami nodded and complied, gathering a few tomatoes and grabbing the stack of cheese, tucking it under his arm, he helped Mokuba slide the wine glasses onto the now-empty shelf.

"Thanks Yami! I got it from here!" Mokuba said smiling at him.

"And hand me those tomatoes." Kaiba said, looking over his shoulder. "If you saw lettuce, I need those too."

Yami blinked and nodded silently again, reaching around Mokuba to access the bin where he had placed the lettuce. He walked carefully over towards Kaiba and placed all the ingredients on the counter beside the vegetable knife.

"Thanks," Kaiba said absentmindedly, slowly pouring the gravy out into a medium glass bowl.

"You're welcome." Yami replied numbly and he went back to his seat.

 _I'm living in a weird dream_ , Yami thought, watching Mokuba wipe the counter, cleaning the crumbs and chocolate off. The scene before him looked so unreal, staged even. Kaiba was busy washing the lettuce and cutting tomatoes. Several slices of bread were toasting merrily in a large oven, the warm smell mixing in with the meaty gravy was making his mouth water.

Yami sobered up when he remembered the real purpose of his visit.

 _I'm going to tell Kaiba how I feel_ , Yami thought darkly. _He may kick me out mid-conversation, but I won't leave until he hears all of it._

Plates clinked pleasantly as Kaiba set large scoops of mashed potatoes neatly alongside the mix of vegetables. He separated each vegetable carefully, arranging them aesthetically onto the plate, adding chunks of meat from the gravy artfully on top. The oven sounded, and he quickly pulled out the bread, placing it on the counter, facing Yami.

Mokuba had climbed back into his seat beside Yami, intently reading his book. Yami was watching him carefully with a look of great interest. Kaiba ducked his head down and smirked, sliding out a bread knife and carefully measuring out the thickness of each slice, aware that Yami was watching his every move.

He plated them cleanly on three separate dishes, alongside the carefully arranges mashed potatoes and vegetables. Kaiba slid a slice of cheese atop each piece of bread, quickly adding on a few leaves of lettuce and a thick slice of tomato.

Yami couldn't tear his eyes away from Kaiba's hands as he watched him plate each ingredient with accuracy. Kaiba's eyes were covered by the tips of his light brown hair, as he leaned forward over the plates, meticulously stacking ingredients onto the bread. Yami shook his head slightly and looked over at Mokuba, who was still resolutely reading his book.

"Mokuba, put the book away. Time to eat." Kaiba said, straightening up and pouring himself another glass of wine with a flourish.

"Finally!" Mokuba said loudly, slapping his book shut and pushing it aside. Kaiba slid a beautifully stacked plate over to his younger brother across the counter and handed him a fork.

"Thanks Seto! This looks and smells amazing!" Mokuba cried, overjoyed. Kaiba nodded and slid a plate across the counter towards Yami, and handed him a fork too. Yami reached out and took it, nodding seriously in thanks. Kaiba cocked his head to one side, wondering what was making Yami act so strangely. Deciding he'd think about it later, Kaiba grabbed the last plate and pushed the stack of bread aside, resolving to stand across from them while they ate, to better observe Yami's actions.

"You wanna sit, Seto?" Mokuba asked, spreading the mashed potatoes onto the bread thickly.

"I've been sitting all day," Kaiba lied, stabbing his fork into a chunk of meat and twirling it absently, watching the sauce run off of it.

"Oh right," Mokuba nodded and he turned to address Yami who was staring anxiously at his plate, "You can dip the bread into the mashed potato if you don't wanna make it into a sandwich like I'm doing!"

"Eat it however you want," Kaiba scoffed, "It's just food."

Yami nodded and stuck his fork curiously into the stack of mashed potato. Everything smelled and looked extremely mouthwatering. He placed the fork in his mouth and was blown away by the flavor. Sure it was just a mashed potato, but the kick of garlic with the sweet roundness of the butter at the end of his tongue made him crave more. Picking up his bread, Yami took a small bite and stuffed a forkful of mashed potatoes together, into his mouth. Pleased with the texture of the toasted bread, along with the savory mashed potato, he was enjoying the meal immensely. He smiled in spite of himself and looked towards Kaiba, who was standing casually before him, leaning against the counter, thoughtfully chewing.

Suddenly, Kaiba tilted his head and their eyes met briefly.

Yami felt himself blush and he quickly looked down at his plate, heat from his face spreading down his neck and arms, causing his palms to sweat uncomfortably.

Kaiba noticed this and smirked, thinking perhaps, they should dine together more often.

"More pleash!" Mokuba said with his mouth ful, holding his plate up with both hands. It had been scraped clean.

Nodding, Kaiba set his fork down and grabbed the plate from his little brother, turning around to add more mashed potatoes, meat and vegetables. "More bread?" Kaiba called over his shoulder.

"No thanks!" Mokuba called back. "Can I have a soda?"

Kaiba glanced at the clock-8:30pm, it was really getting late. "No," he said sternly, "Water or milk, those are your options."

"Awhhhh.." Mokuba grumbled, "Fine I'll have milk."

Kaiba nodded and slid the plate across the counter, heading over to the fridge. He glanced over at Yami who had not touched his wine. Sighing, he grabbed the milk, along with the pitcher of water as well. Placing the jugs of liquid onto the counter he whipped out two glasses and poured Mokuba a glass of milk in one, and water for Yami in the other.

"Thanks big bro," Mokuba said, grabbing the milk and taking a huge gulp.

Yami eyed the glass of water, his eyes traveling back and forth between it and the wine glass. Kaiba watched as Yami slowly curled his fingers around the stem of the glass, taking a tentative sip.

Yami felt the cool liquid touch his lips pool around his tongue. The wine slid easily down his throat, leaving a thin, bittersweet aftertaste. He sipped it again, noting that the bitterness went well alongside the roundness of the butter in the meat and potatoes. He had to hand it to Kaiba, the man knew how to cook a good meal and pair his wines.

Pleased, Kaiba glanced over at Yami's glass, realizing it was empty, he reached for the bottle, rounding off his second glass quickly, considering a third. Kaiba slid the glass across the counter towards Yami once again, the liquid sloshing around the bottom merrily.

He raised his glass towards Yami in a slight toast, and nodded at him, staring deep into his violet eyes. Yami froze, his fingers tightening around the stem of his wine glass, unsure if his eyes were playing tricks on him. He blinked and slowly raised his glass to his lips, without breaking eye contact with Kaiba, he took a sip. He thought he saw a smile curve a the corners of Kaiba's lips.

Mokuba sat back in his seat, pleasantly stuffed. He stretched his arms up, yawning loudly, looking back and forth between Seto and Yami. They both had empty plates before them, and were pleasantly sipping wine, gazing at each other with strange expressions. What's more, the atmosphere was warm and friendly.

Mokuba put his arms down quickly and grabbed his book, hopping off the bar stool, "I'm sleepy, Seto."

Kaiba set his glass down and picked up their empty plates, "Take a bath, get ready for bed. Come get me, and I'll tuck you in."

"No thanks," Mokuba said slyly, "I don't wanna bother you!" And with that, he rushed up the stairs and into his room, slamming the door loudly behind him. Suddenly, he realized Seto had left his phone on the counter after the call with Yami. He threw his book on his bed and slowly creaked the handle of the door open. He heard Seto yell after him. "I'll be coming up to check you on, regardless!"and Mokuba stayed quiet. Slowly pulling the door back, trying to hear the rest of the conversation happening downstairs.

Kaiba sighed and set the plates in the sink carefully, running water across them lightly.

There was no response from Mokuba.

Kaiba looked over his shoulder at Yami who was thumbing the stem of his wine glass thoughtfully with his slender fingers, and he felt his stomach flutter nervously.

There was a long silence as Yami sat apprehensively at the counter, watching Kaiba busy himself with the dishes. It was strange and disarming to see Kaiba out of his element, Yami mused. They usually met in his office, with a large desk separating them, or on dueling grounds, where they stood several yards apart at all times.

Kaiba stacked the clean dishes together on a rack and turned around to face Yami, wringing his hands in the kitchen towel, trying to disguise his anxiety. Yami spun the wine glass absently, watching the remaining portion of wine slide up and down agaisnt the edge of the glass, unsure of how to begin the conversation.

Kaiba folded his arms across his chest and spoke, "So, what did you want to discuss?"

Yami stopped twirling the glass. He aimed his gaze down onto the granite counter and folded his hands nervously in his lap. "I'm going to tell you something, Kaiba, and I need you to take me seriously." he said slowly.

Kaiba leaned agaisnt the counter, resisting the urge to reach out and touch Yami, "I'm listening."

"Do you care for me?" Yami asked suddenly, sitting very still, his gaze resolutely fixed downwards.

"What?" Kaiba frowned, unsure if he heard correctly.

"I need you to tell me, that you don't care for me, in any way." Yami said blandly, his arms tensing at his sides.

Kaiba unfolded his arms and gripped the counter, his head spinning.

"And why, exactly do you want to hear this from me?" Kaiba asked faintly. The image of Yami sitting before him on the counter began to blur. He flashed back to the memory from a few days ago, where he was dressed as Hiro, sitting in front of with Yami on the bench near the bakery, listening to him confess about having fancied him for years.

Kaiba felt a monstrous rage beginning to boil underneath his skin. He knew exactly why Yami wanted to hear this.

"Because it's true, isn't it?" Yami asked, almost sounding hopeful, pressing his thumbs together nervously in his lap, feeling himself grow hot.

"Answer my question first." Kaiba growled, pressing his palms down onto the counter, hovering threateningly before Yami.

Yami swayed in his seat slightly, "There's someone I like..."

Kaiba clenched his fists, feeling the cold granite graze his knuckles, "Really now," he said sarcastically.

"...And I want to be with him." Yami continued, swallowing dryly.

 _Is he talking about me?_ Kaiba thought carefully, his blood coursing loudly in his ears.

"Then do that." Kaiba scoffed, tossing his hair out of his eyes, "What does that have to do with me?"

Yami shook in his seat, as a cold sweat travel down his back. "Kaiba, do you like women?" he asked, nervously biting his lip.

Kaiba glared at Yami, watching Yami's teeth sit tightly against the plumpness of his lips. Kaiba turned his head away quickly, feeling the blood rush to his head. _Ha_ , he thought spitefully to himself, _women? If I do like women, it's too late to find out now, isn't it?_

"What does that have to do with anything?!" Kaiba asked, shaking his head slowly, suddenly dreading Yami's answer.

"It will give me peace of mind!" Yami fumed, meeting Kaiba's gaze for the first time. Kaiba watched Yami glare at him and he noticed wetness beginning to gather at the corners of Yami's large, violet eyes.

"I don't understand." Kaiba lied dully, quietly pushing for the answer he wanted to hear.

"Kaiba, can you just answer my question?" Yami asked desperately, feeling a sharp pain throb agaisnt the front of his mind.

"We're talking in circles, "Kaiba growled, "You can start making sense by answering _my_ questions, or get out."

Yami nodded. _  
There it is_ , Yami thought darkly, _he's telling me to get out, once again._

They stared at each other for another long moment. Yami felt himself tremble with effort, trying to keep himself composed.

Kaiba watched Yami's bottom lip quiver slightly, knowing that Yami was very close to breaking.

 _Fine,_ Yami thought, taking a deep breath, _I'm going about this the wrong way._

"Kaiba," Yami started, "I would like you to know, that I greatly admire your work ethic and your intelligence."

"Ah compliments," Kaiba smirked, feeling his chest tighten nervously again, "How nice. Tell me something I don't already know about myself."

Yami clenched his fist, now he was starting to feel angry. Kaiba was mocking him. This was going to be a humiliating experience one way or another. Yami dipped his head down, his shoulders sagging, doubting himself.

 _Perhaps, this conversation isn't worth having_ , Yami thought despondently. The way Kaiba was treating him now clearly already gave him the answer he needed.

Yami made a movement to slide off the bar stool, "I'm leaving." he said darkly.

"No you're not." Kaiba said shortly. "Not until you tell me what the hell you're talking about."

Yami's feet touched the ground and he felt dizzy, unsure if it was from the wine or if it was from distress. Kaiba noticed Yami sway uncertainly, and he rushed over to steady him, gripping him tightly by the shoulders.

Yami's breath hitched in his throat as Kaiba gripped him firmly. He twisted himself away, backing agaisnt the bar stool, "Don't touch me." Yami said angrily, hugging himself defensively.

Kaiba froze, feeling as though a shard of ice had been shot through his chest. "Right." he said coolly, folding his arms across his chest.

Yami felt the room spin as he looked down at his shoes, his back leaning painfully agaisnt the edge of the bar seat. He realized he was trapped. _I can't walk home like this, I need Kaiba's driver to take me back to the game shop. And for that to happen..._ , Yami glanced upwards at Kaiba, who was standing there imposingly before him, with his arms tightly crossed.

 _I would have to give him satisfying answers._ Yami thought regrettably.

Throwing caution to wind, Yami spoke, keeping his gaze fixed firmly over Kaiba's shoulder, "His name is Hiro."

Yami saw Kaiba tense visibly, his mouth set in a tight line.

"Who is he and why should I care?" Kaiba asked numbly, blinking rapidly.

"I like him. But at the same time... I can't." Yami said, feeling angry again. "because he reminds me of you."

Kaiba paled and his eyes widened, "Do want to know why?" he asked slowly, watching Yami's reaction carefully. _Because we're the same person_ , Kaiba thought furiously, clenching his teeth.

"Of course I know why." Yami fumed, "But he is a better person than you will ever be, on any given day."

Kaiba felt himself stop in mid-breath. This was backfiring horribly. "What?" he spat, feeling his face heat up with emotion.

"That's right," Yami said furiously, more to himself, "He's nothing like you, I realize that now."

Kaiba felt a venomous rage course through his veins, "So you're here, to rub this in my face. You're here to dismiss me, because you don't want to give _me_ a chance."

Yami blinked, taken aback at the statement, "I...what?" he stammered. "I never had a chance with you!" Yami exclaimed, a large rock of guilt and anger was sitting uncomfortably in his stomach.

Kaiba eyed him coldly, "You do now."

Yami felt his heart stop, and his vision began to blur. _Was any of this real?_

"Do I...?" Yami asked faintly, still looking over Kaiba's shoulder.

Kaiba smirked and and leaned his hip against the wall, bracing the counter, "Yes."

Yami blinked and blinked, not really seeing anything, his thoughts racing. Kaiba was standing before him, offering...something he'd been wanting for a long time and yet, something still didn't feel right.

Yami felt a painful tugging in his chest as he whispered, "But ...I think...it's too late."

Kaiba turned his head slowly in disbelief, his ears ringing loudly, "Why?!" he hissed, glaring at Yami, who was looking resolutely away from him.

"Because I've found someone better." Yami said bleakly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

Kaiba could not believe what he was seeing or hearing. "Have you really?!" he said sarcastically, his rage getting the better of him, "What does this guy have, that I don't have?!" Kaiba paused, watching Yami carefully, "Actually, other way around." he said arrogantly, "I have everything, I _can have_ everything. What can he do for you?"

Yami blinked, feeling strangely hollow, "He's compassionate. He put others before him. He works hard, and he treats me kindly."

Kaiba was finding it difficult to breathe, "Right, right," he repeated mindlessly, "And you think I can't behave that way?"

"You _don't_ behave that way." Yami said bluntly. "From the years I've known you, you've been an abrasive, rash and selfish individual, save for a few times we actually seriously needed your help."

Kaiba felt giddy and delirious. He brought a hand up across his face, covering his eyes, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Suddenly, he couldn't stop laughing, he clutched his sides as let out laugh after rolling laugh. The situation was so terribly simple, but Yami was insisting on making it difficult. Kaiba bent over, gasping for breath. _Either way, I win,_ he thought evilly, _I am Hiro, and I am Kaiba._

Kaiba drew in another shaking breath, trying to restrain another bout of laughter. _It doesn't matter who he chooses to be with, because both men are me!_

Yami was unnerved, "Kaiba, if you're finished, I'd like to leave."

Kaiba straighten up and composed himself, smirking, "Yami, you should reconsider." He took one large step and closed the distance between them suddenly, his tall figure looming over Yami's thin frame.

Yami faltered, watching as Kaiba's feet were standing so close, they almost touched his shoes, "I've-...I've made my decision." he said, staring down at their feet.

Undeterred, Kaiba reached over Yami's shoulder and swung the bar stool around, "Sit. Stay for dessert." he said and he walked away towards the fridge, quickly pulling out the bowl of parfait mix and the chocolate shavings.

Yami stayed standing, staring at Kaiba, bewildered, "I'm not hungry," he said flatly.

"I don't care." Kaiba said shortly, slipping out a thin piping sheet and slowly spooning large helpings of mixture into it. "Eat this before you leave. You're drunk anyway."

"I'm not..!" Yami cried, stricken. He watched as Kaiba bent down and elegantly swirled the mixture atop the granola crumble. Topping it quickly with a perfect layer of whipped cream, Kaiba placed the glass in front of Yami's seat, gently sprinkling chocolate shavings above it all.

Conflicted, Yami glanced at the dessert and then back at Kaiba, who was carefully piping more cream into the wine glasses, his arms moving rhythmically in slow circles, attentively crafting the parfait, layer by layer. Yami frowned and slid himself back into the bar stool, picking up the glass of cream, inspecting it carefully.

Kaiba straightened and brushed the hair off his brow, glancing over at Yami, studying the dessert curiously. He grabbed a small spoon from the drawer and leaned across the counter, sticking it into the side.

Yami set the glass down and folded his arms, his mind racing, wondering what else he could say that would allow him to leave amicably.

Kaiba finished the row of parfaits quickly. Six beautifully layered glasses stood sparkling under the kitchen light. He nodded to himself, satisfied, he hooked them in his fingers and elbowed the refrigerator door open, sliding the completed parfaits onto a shelf. He carelessly threw the empty bowls into the sink loudly, running water through them, suddenly feeling extremely exhausted.

Kaiba shut the water off and turned around to check on Yami, who was sitting quietly across the counter, watching him warily, his parfait was untouched.

Kaiba felt himself grow hot, and he gripped the edge of the counter, "Eat it before it melts." he said stiffly, suddenly remembering the events from their afternoon together, at the bistro, where he said something similar to Yami about eating his fillet while it was still hot.

Yami cocked his head defiantly back at him, "I want to go home."

Kaiba sighed, feeling the tiredness weighing him down. He saw spots dancing in front of his vision as he blinked, and he rubbed his temples in exhaustion. "Please, Yami just eat it." he said tiredly.

Yami looked at him coldly, "Pass."

Kaiba ran his hand through his hair in frustration and leaned his elbows down onto the counter. He grabbed the spoon from the side, he lifted a large drop of cream up to his mouth and licked it off the spoon. Yami's eyes widened and he felt himself blush involuntarily, turning his head away quickly looking towards the doorway, he shifted his weight in his seat, feeling his face burning up.

Kaiba tilted his head devilishly, noticing a pink flush creeping across Yami's cheeks. He smirked and pulled the parfait towards him, and began eating it in earnest.

 _Not too bad_ , Kaiba thought to himself as he rolled the cream around on his tongue, tasting the texture. It wasn't as sweet as he would've liked, he made a mental note to add more sugar next time.

He noticed Yami's eyes darting around the room, looking desperately anywhere but where he stood, and he let out a small chuckle, "Honestly, just try some." he said, pushing the half-finished parfait towards Yami. "I'll call Isono to drive you home after you eat this. I don't want Mokuba having all of this sugar when I'm not watching him."

Kaiba scooped up a bit of cream and held it up to Yami invitingly. Yami threw him a suspicious look and turned slowly, reaching for the spoon. Kaiba tightened his grip on the spoon and shook his head, "Wrong," he said, trying hold back a laugh.

Yami put his hand down, frustrated, "Kaiba, I'm not in the mood for one of your games."

Kaiba held the spoon out, higher this time, closer to Yami's face, "Try again." he said softly, staring deep into Yami's dark eyes.

Yami blinked and clenched his fist, feeling himself grow extremely red, "Just..give me the spoon."

Kaiba smirked, and said nothing. He reached his free hand around and quickly wrapped a warm hand around the base of Yami's chin, pulling his lips downwards gently and he playfully swiped a chunk of cream onto Yami's bottom lip. Yami jerked back forcefully, wiping his mouth across the back of his hand, smearing cream down his chin. "Kaiba!" he cried, his eyes flashing dangerously at him.

Kaiba laughed triumphantly, "How does it taste?" he threw Yami a grin, watching his blush deepen.

Yami blinked and looked away from Kaiba's gaze, feeling strangely warm, "Don't do that!" he said angrily, tasting the cream on the edge of his tongue. It was very light, and fluffy. Yami stared at the chunk of leftover cream on the back of his hand and quickly put his mouth over it, licking his hand clean. There was a hint of sweet milk and something else...Yami couldn't put his finger on it.

He pulled his hand away from his mouth, just as Kaiba's hand came snaking into his vision, grabbing his chin forcibly again. This time the spoon managed to find it's way into his mouth.

The spoon scraped across the tops of his teeth, depositing bits of cream above his lips. Blinking wildly Yami struggled as he felt the tip of the metal spoon hitting the roof of his mouth dully, and a sweet, fluffy cream enveloped his mouth, causing him to swallow the sweetness thickly, his mouth watering. Yami's tongue pushed tightly agaisnt the spoon, and tried jerking his head away, out of Kaiba's grasp, but his grip only tightened.

Kaiba smirked mischievously, "You like that, don't you? Can you eat it willingly now?"

Yami tried his best to glare angrily at Kaiba and he reached his hand up, wrapping his fingers around Kaiba's wrist, trying to pull his hand away from his face. Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Yami and wrapped his fingers even tighter around his delicate jaw, relishing in the feeling of Yami's soft skin.

"I said, you're not leaving until you finish this. Last chance, or I will be force feeding you this whole thing." Kaiba said with an evil smirk.

Yami dug his nails into the hand holding onto his face, and tried pushing it away with all his might, the spoon still in his mouth, threatening to choke him. Yami shook his head angrily and repeatedly bit down onto the spoon.

"Oh you want more?" Kaiba said smoothly, removing the spoon from Yami's mouth and scooped up another dollop of cream. Yami's eyes widened as the spoon piled high with cream, approached his face. He squirmed, twisting his face away but to no avail. The spoon passed heavily over his lips and Kaiba's fingers found the joint in his jaw, squeezing him open strongly. Yami felt his teeth part and the sweet cream slid through easily, and into his mouth. His tongue cupped the curve of the spoon and Kaiba withdrew it, please to see that it had been licked clean.

"Perfect," Kaiba said smugly, pulling Yami's face closer to his, "Here, have some more." He dipped the spoon down into the parfait, brushing along bits of chocolate from the top. "Open wider, don't make a mess," he said plainly, bringing the spoon towards Yami's lips.

To his surprise, Yami's lips parted slightly and Kaiba slid the spoon in easily.

Yami shut his eyes, his mind screaming one thing, his body screaming another. He let Kaiba push the spoon into his mouth and he tasted the cream again, this time, it was slightly bittersweet, the flakes of dark chocolate caught underneath his tongue. He tapped the spoon with his tongue and Kaiba pulled it out gently, dipping it back into the parfait.

The spoon came again, and Yami willingly opened his mouth this time, dutifully swallowing a mouthful of cream, and Kaiba lifted the spoon lightly out of his mouth. Yami licked his lips inadvertently, enjoying the taste, in spite of himself. Another spoonful of cream came his way and Yami obediently licked it off the spoon, his stomach fluttering strangely, rolling the cream through his mouth.

Kaiba's grip was loosening, it was no longer a vice-like grasp on his jaw. It had turned into a gentle caress, his thumb resting softly on his chin, his long fingers curled under his jaw comfortably.

Another spoonful of cream came his way, and Yami leaned forward slightly, pressing his lips down around the spoon as it left his mouth, he missed a bit, leaving a trail of cream around the edge of the spoon.

Kaiba eyed the spoon and looked deep into Yami's eyes, without blinking, he stuck the spoon in his mouth and licked it clean, tasting Yami's sweetness on the end of his tongue. Kaiba felt himself grow hard at the taste.

Yami swallowed dryly, his heart racing. Kaiba had just licked the spoon that came out of his mouth, was it...an indirect kiss?

Kaiba smirked and he blinked slowly, lowering the spoon back into the parfait, bringing a small dollop of cream up agaisnt Yami's lips. Yami trembled with anticipation and he parted his mouth slightly, welcoming the spoon into his mouth gladly, the metallic taste of the spoon left a salty tang in his mouth. Yami closed his eyes unwittingly, wondering what Kaiba tasted like, but all he could feel was the sweetness of the cream rolling gently off his tongue and down his throat.

Kaiba smiled to himself as he watched Yami squeezing his eyes shut, with the white cream dripping down his chin erotically. He gently pulled the spoon out of Yami's mouth and scraped up the last bit of parfait. Yami lowered his head down into Kaiba's grasp, feeling Kaiba's thumb warmly brush underneath his lips. He shivered, watching Kaiba playfully lick the spoon clean of the last remnants of the parfait. Yami glanced at the empty glass sitting on the counter, feeling strangely disappointed. Kaiba's hand was still on his chin, and Yami didn't move, knowing if he did, Kaiba would take his hand away.

The spoon clinked loudly back into the empty glass and Kaiba leaned forward, smirking, rubbing his slender fingers along the line of Yami's jaw, "Did you like that?" he asked gently.

Yami swallowed, and blushed deeply again, "Take me home." he said resolutely.

"Want another?" Kaiba asked, his eyes glinting under the soft glow of the kitchen lights.

Yami jerked his head out of Kaiba's grasp and slid off the bar stool, hastily adjusting his hoodie. "No, just take me home." he repeated, facing away from Kaiba, running his hand along his jaw, feeling the spots where Kaiba's fingers left imprints on his face heat up.

Kaiba nodded, and he gestured towards the door. "Isono should be waiting by the front in a few minutes. I'll text him."

Yami avoided eye contact as Kaiba led him to the main entrance. They walked past the grand staircase where Mokuba stood quietly at the top, frozen in place, trying to understand what he had just witnessed.

 _Yami just said he liked Hiro better than Seto!_ Mokuba thought incredulously, _but isn't Seto...Hiro?_ He sat down on the top step, unable to stand. He looked at the empty parfait glass sitting on the kitchen counter, it looked so tiny from up above.

Mokuba blinked and blinked, still trying to understand what had happened. _Yami didn't want to eat the parfait_ , _but then, did Seto just force feed him some?!_

He heard Seto's footsteps climbing up the stairs and he froze.

Kaiba tiredly trudged up the stairs after sending Yami off with Isono. He saw the shadow of a tiny figure sitting at the topmost step. "Mokuba?!" Kaiba's voice echoed throughout the house angrily. "You're still awake?"

A sudden realization came crashing down around Kaiba. _Mokuba must have seen their entire exchange!_

"How long have you been sitting up there?!" he demanded, quickly climbing up the stairs, taking it two, three steps at a time.

Terrified, Mokuba climbed to his feet and attempted to run back into his room. Seto was quicker, his long arms reaching out, grabbing firmly onto his wrist and pulling him back. "Mokuba?" Kaiba said sternly. "Answer me!"

Mokuba squirmed in his brother's grasp, "I'm sorry Seto! I couldn't help it!"

"How long were you there?!" Kaiba repeated, shaking his brother slightly, dread creeping up around him slowly.

"Y-You should've just told him!" Mokuba choked through tears, "Why didn't you just tell him?!"

Kaiba leaned down on one knee and placed a hand on Mokuba's shoulder, holding is younger brother steady, "It's more complicated than that." he said seriously.

"No it's not!" Mokuba shouted back in his face, "How hard is it to just tell the truth for once?!"

"It's hard because," Kaiba said, blinking softly, trying to calm Mokuba down, "He doesn't like me the same way. I need him to like me as one person."

"You _are_ one person." Mokuba said dully, rubbing his eyes.

"No, not currently to him." Kaiba said gently, "So I need to show him that, I can act like Hiro, even when I am Seto. Does that make sense Mokuba?"

"I don't get it." Mokuba said blurrily, "So you're never gonna tell him? Are you gonna be Seto and Hiro forever?"

"I will tell him." Kaiba said, brushing the dark hair out of Mokuba's face, "That time is coming soon, he just needs to see me for who I am, past the black hair, past the brown eyes."

Mokuba nodded, "So you're still gonna have to go around.. looking like.. _that?_ "

Kaiba sighed and swept his brother up in his arms, "Mokuba, people react differently to the way I look, a lot more than you think."

He carried Mokuba into the room and placed him gently down onto his bed, pulling the covers up from underneath his legs.

"Sleep tight." he said, looking down at younger brother who was yawning widely.

Mokuba brought his elbow up under his head, looking up at Kaiba with his large grey eyes, "Night Seto." and Kaiba tucked the sheets firmly under his chin, patting him gently on the head.

He flipped the lights off, glancing behind him to see Mokuba settling in, before closing the door gently behind him.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Um, thank you for all your support! xD Reviews, critiques, kudos or suggestions ALL HELP! They give me life and if I know you're out there reading, I will write more!

 


	9. Please accept this relentless love

Yami stuck the key into the door of the game shop and stepped inside quietly, shutting the door behind him, listening for movement in the house. It was dark so Yami felt his way carefully inside, walking through the connecting hallway into the living room. He heard the water running upstairs, and realized Yugi was home.

Yami rushed up the stairs and into his room, flipping on the lights and throwing himself down on his bed. He pulled out his phone, checking for messages from Hiro. There were none. In fact, the previous message he'd sent earlier, was still sitting there. It had been read, but there was no response.

Sighing in disappointment, Yami tossed the phone aside, kicking his shoes off, leaning back on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. He rubbed his jaw absentmindedly, still feeling Kaiba's lingering touch.

Yami heard the water shut off in the bathroom and he sat up quickly, waiting for Yugi to enter.

 _Should I tell Yugi about this?_ Yami thought quietly to himself as he heard the bedroom door creak open slowly.

Yugi entered the room, ruffling his wet hair with a towel. Yami looked up happily, "Yugi!" he said softly.

Yugi draped the towel around his neck casually, suppressing a yawn, "Oh, hey! You were out late."

Yami nodded, "May I tell you something?" he asked, looking seriously at Yugi through his bangs.

Yugi sat himself down next to Yami on the bed, pulling his feet up into a comfortable sitting position, "Of course! I'm always here for you. What is it?"

Yami hesitated, then spoke in a rush, "I think I'm really beginning to like Hiro."

Yugi smiled encouragingly, "Me too!"

Yami reddened and shoved his hands under his thighs nervously, "Yugi, I like him...romantically."

Yugi's expression changed slightly, "Oh." he stated, looking confused, "Okay, well I hope it works out..." his voice trailed off uncertainly.

"I'm sure it will," Yami replied hastily, swinging his legs against the edge of the bed feeling jittery, "The only issue being, he reminds me of Kaiba. Very much so. Almost too much." Yami looked to Yugi for a response.

Yugi's mouth was hanging open slightly as he stammered, "O-oh, um I'm not sure where you're getting that. Is it because they're similar in height? If anything, I only see a slight physical resemblance."

Yami shook his head, "Yes there's that, but they have a lot of similar mannerisms."

Yugi frowned, "Well, the world is a big place, we're bound to meet some similar people eventually."

Yami nodded slowly, "I agree, but...another concerning thing is that he doesn't feel like a stranger at all."

Yugi placed a warm hand on Yami's shoulder, "That's how it should usually feel when you meet someone special, ...right?"

"I suppose." Yami responded doubtfully. An image of Hiro's smiling face flashed through his mind, slowly morphing into Kaiba's classic sneer. He shook his head and stood up, "Thank you for listening Yugi. I think I need a shower...and you should get some sleep."

Yugi stood and walked across the room, flopping onto his bed, making himself comfortable, "Okay, well, don't think about it too much. If you guys get along really well, there shouldn't be anything to worry about!"

Yami nodded silently and exited the room, heading for the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Kaiba sat himself down tiredly onto his bed, exhausted. He pulled out the phone he was using as Hiro and laid it on his lap next to his company phone. Kaiba stared at the two phones for a long moment before laying back comfortably into the sheets, pulling the Hiro phone close to his face.

He unlocked the phone and realized he had received a message from Yami without hearing the notification. Suddenly he remembered Mokuba telling him earlier that his phone had been buzzing, and Kaiba remembered picking up his phone. He _had_ read it! Kaiba shook his head tiredly, he was losing his mind. He definitely needed to sleep.

Tapping the chat box quickly, he read the message again.

"Come visit me tomorrow?" it said simply.

Hesitating, Kaiba typed out a message, unsure if he'd even get a response. He glanced at the clock. It was 1:30AM. _Whatever_ , Kaiba thought carelessly, and he sent the message saying, "Where and when?"

He rolled onto his back and stared up at the high ceiling, feeling his head ache painfully.

Yami had just stepped out the shower when he heard his phone buzz in his pants pocket. Quickly shaking it out of his pants, his towel slipping down his leg slightly, he unlocked the screen with shaking fingers. It was a text from Hiro! "Where and when?" he had asked.

Yami brought the towel up to his hair to dry his dripping bangs with one hand, the other, typing out a reply, "Would you be willing to spend a day in the game shop with me? Yugi has class all day, so we'll have the place to ourselves." He read it over thrice before sending it.

Kaiba heard the phone buzz under his ear and he rolled over onto his front, his head chinning the pillow, he glanced down at the screen, pleased to have received an answer so quickly.  
_A day in the game shop huh_ , Kaiba thought darkly, _I guess he's not really free to spend time elsewhere otherwise..._

Kaiba quickly tapped out a response, "Sure!" he paused before sending it, and then added, "I can bring us lunch!" and he sent it.

Yami got dressed quickly, slipping into comfortable lounge wear, the phone buzzed againstthe bathroom counter. He picked it up, reading the message excitedly, and quickly replied, "I would love that! Just stop by anytime."

Kaiba watched his phone as Yami's message popped up on the chat screen.

"I'll text you before I head over." Kaiba wrote back simply.

"I'll be waiting for you!" Yami typed, and he clicked his phone shut, flipping off the bathroom lights, making his way quietly back into his room.

Kaiba blinked and stared at the message, re-reading it over and over, the words echoing around in his mind relentlessly.  
_I'll be waiting for you! I'll be waiting for you..._  
Kaiba shut his eyes, trying to imagine Yami actually saying that to him. He couldn't. His hand hovered above the screen.

 _Why can't he be this carefree all the time?_ he thought angrily. _Also, what the fuck should I say to that?_

Kaiba miserably ran his hand through his hair. He decided to go with optimism and he typed his response on the screen slowly, "I can't wait." and he hit send. He read it again on the screen, realizing he'd send it with a period at the end, making it sound too serious.

Cursing himself, Kaiba clicked his phone off angrily and shoved it under his pillow. Burying his face into his sheets, Kaiba sighed.

 _I'll make this work somehow_ , he vowed viciously, before drifting slowly off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Yami laid in the dark on his bed, his phone screen glowing softly in front of him. He stared at the text Hiro had sent him "I can't wait."  
And he frowned.

 _Why did he sound so serious all of a sudden?_ Yami pondered, before flipping his phone face down and clicking it off. His fingers tightened around the edge of his phone.

 _He probably just wrote it in a hurry_. Yami thought sleepily, and he felt himself relax into a deep sleep.

* * *

Yugi's 6 AM alarm rang intrusively throughout the room, and Yami frowned into his pillow, shoving his face deeper into the covers wishing Yugi would turn it off. The alarm kept ringing and Yami sat up angrily, glancing over at Yugi's bed where he lay peacefully, adamantly sleeping through it.

Sighing heavily, Yami quickly flung his legs over the side of his bed and crossed the room, hovering over Yugi's sleeping form, searching for the phone that was blaring loudly from under his pillow. Reaching his hand underneath Yugi's pillow, he found the button on the side and clicked the alarm off. Yugi rolled his head around, trapping Yami's arm under his pillow.

Smiling gently, Yami reached a hand up to lightly brush the blond bangs out of Yugi's face.

Yugi twitched, and turned his head away, snoring lightly. Yami slowly patted Yugi's face, brushing his thumbs under his little round cheeks, "Yugi..!" Yami whispered, shaking him slightly. "Wake up."

Yugi didn't move and the phone began ringing again. Yami sighed and reached under the pillow, he pulled the phone out and placed it on Yugi's face, watching it slide off his cheek comically as it buzzed loudly.

Yugi's eyes cracked open and clawed at his face, groaning, "Yami...! What..?!"

"Wake up..!" Yami cried, laughing slightly, "Your alarm woke me!"

Yugi grumbled and sat up, blearily looking at his phone screen, "Oh noo...why...!" He seemed to be wide awake now, and Yami watched him closely, wondering what was wrong.

"What's wrong Aibou?" Yami asked, frowning, peering over Yugi's shoulder and down at his phone screen.

"One of the group members is sick today! That means I need to get there early, to make sure everything is okay...uhg." Yugi yawned widely and slowly climbed out of bed.

Yami walked back over to his bed and sat down, still feeling the last dredges of sleep leaving his body. Yugi was rummaging around for something on their desk and Yami laid back down onto the bed, absently fingering his phone.

"So, you're gonna watch the shop today, right?" Yugi asked, his head buried in a drawer.

"Yes." Yami said, looking down at his phone, clicking it on and noticing there were no messages, he flipped it face down hastily.

"You're not going to take off with Hiro today, and not come back, right?" Yugi said playfully, tilting his head over towards Yami, watching him moodily flip his phone over.

"No I will be in the shop all day, Yugi. I promised." Yami said sullenly, watching as Yugi straightened up.

"Good!" Yugi said, smiling as he exited the room, "Just text me anytime today, I'll respond!" and he headed for the bathroom.

Yami heard the water running and he flopped backwards onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. through the sun roof. The sun was peeking out through the clouds as they drifted by slowly and Yami closed his eyes, wondering if he should go back to sleep, or text Hiro.

He reached around for his phone and held it above him, sliding it open, he tapped the chat box and he quickly wrote, "Good morning!", his eyes lingering over Hiro's name above the chat box in his phone, Yami hit send. He watched the message float up on the screen and his phone stayed silent.

Sighing, Yami placed his arms across his forehead. He's probably not awake yet, Yami thought, and he felt himself drifting off again, the sound of the water was slowly lulling him deeper and deeper to sleep.

* * *

Kaiba's phone buzzed against the nightstand, rattling loudly across the surface.

Kaiba brought a tired hand up to still the phone in a haze of sleepiness, his hand bumped against two phones on the nightstand and they both clattered to the floor. Cursing, Kaiba forced himself to sit up, bringing a palm up to his face and ruffling his hair back groggily. His hair flipped annoying back across his eyes, brushing across the edges of his eyelashes. Sighing heavily, Kaiba shifted his legs over the edge of the bed and looked down at the floor for the phones.

His hair was obscuring parts of his vision, and it was starting to piss him off. Kaiba stood up off the bed and bent down to pick up the phones, turning them both over in his hand, cursing whoever it was that woke him. The light was blinking from Hiro's phone, indicating a message notification.

Suddenly wide awake, Kaiba unlocked the phone, and realized it was from Yami.

"Good morning!" it read.

Kaiba shut his eyes and rubbed his temples, feeling slightly refreshed but still groggy from being woken up so suddenly. Why was Yami texting him so goddamn early in the morning?!

He held the phone up and responded quickly, "Good morning!" carefully remembering to add the exclamation point at the end, and he sent it. Clicking his phone off and placing it back on the nightstand, Kaiba trudged into the bathroom and leaned over the sink, glaring at his own reflection.

His hair was getting impossibly long in the front, longer that he liked. He realized he'd been so caught up, dying his hair and playing dress-up, that he forgot his usual monthly hair trim.

 _Damn_ , Kaiba groaned, _I might have to go in for a trim before I do anything else today._

He made a mental note to call his secretary before leaving the house and he stepped into the shower.

 _Work is piling up_ , Kaiba grumbled to himself, reaching for the bottle of hair dye which was almost empty, but then he paused. _The more time I spend being Hiro, the less time I have as Seto Kaiba...I need to complete my weekly duties as CEO of my goddamn company._

The water dripped down the end of his nose and Kaiba shut the faucet off, deciding he wouldn't make an appointment at the hair salon. He'd just walk in.

Kaiba wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out of the bathroom. Heading over towards his closet, he noticed the stack of his purchases from his shopping trip the other day. He quickly grabbed a white v-neck t-shirt and pulled on a pair of dark jeans.

Standing in front of the mirror, Kaiba stared at himself, put-off by his own appearance, dressed so casually, without the black hair and brown eyes. Sighing, he opted to spice up his outfit with a black blazer, sporting a thin, silk, shawl lapel. Throwing it on over his shoulders, Kaiba ran his fingers down over fabric, adjusting it accordingly, satisfied at the quality of the blazer.

He glanced in the mirror again and felt better. The coat made him feel more like himself, but he frowned, realizing that if he dyed his hair, he might look too sharp, which was out of character for his other persona.

Kaiba ran a frustrated hand through his hair and gave up sighing once more, resigning himself to dealing with the consequences of Yami's inevitable questions later. He quickly spritzed himself with the cologne and grabbed his brown leather bag and both of his phones, shoving them in his pockets and hurrying down the stairs.

* * *

"Yami!" Yugi called, shaking him slightly, "Yami?"

Yami cracked his eyes open and saw Yugi bending over him, looking rushed, "Hey! Sorry, I gotta go now, okay? So, take care."

Yami sat up, confused, then realized he'd fallen asleep again, "Oh, Aibou, of course. I'll see you ..tonight?"

Yugi nodded and pulled Yami into a quick hug, "Yep! Hopefully I'll be back a little earlier today. Also, Anzu planned a go-karting trip for everyone! Let me know if you wanna come along! We could all use a break."

Yami suppressed a yawn and stood up, returning the hug, "Thank you for telling me Yugi."  
He hesitated before asking, "Do you think we can invite Hiro?"

Yugi laughed and shifted his bag over his shoulder, "Yeah, if you wanna invite him go ahead!"

Yami smiled softly back at Yugi, "Okay Aibou. Have a good day today."

Yugi beamed at him and rushed out the door. Yami heard his footsteps rumbling down the stairs and the door slamming, and then, silence. Yami glanced down at his phone and clicked it on, pleased when he saw a return message from Hiro, "Good morning!" it read.

 _Seems he was awake after all_ , Yami thought secretly, walking over to the closet deciding what he should wear for the day. He chose a simple black tee, pairing it with a sleeveless hoodie which he pulled snugly over his head. It draped nicely over one of his belts, the second belt hanging low peeking out from beneath the end of the hoodie. Yami glanced at his reflection, satisfied, and headed down the stairs.

* * *

Kaiba pulled into the parking lot in front of CC's hair studio and was immediately greeted by Kit, who perked up and threw him a suggestive look, "Hey, welcome back handsome!"

Kaiba said nothing and clenched his fists, realizing he'd forgotten his usual stylist was "preggers" as Kit put it. He looked around the studio and realized it was empty.

Kaiba glanced back at Kit and spoke reluctantly, "Where's everyone?"

Kit shrugged nonchalantly, "Sick, or preggs. CC's 'bout to pop soon, so we'll be closed on that day next month. We're all going to be at the hospital."

"Right." Kaiba said, struggling to maintain his emotionless expression. It was even more uncomfortable this time around because Kaiba realized how much Kit's cosmetic suggestions had been helping him so far, as Hiro.

 _And what's more,_ Kaiba felt his blood run cold _, Kit is gay_. _But...then what does that make me..?!_

Kaiba felt the room swirl around him dangerously as he suddenly came to the realization that, he'd been doing a lot of very gay things with Yami.

Kaiba saw Kit's eyes dart back and forth, from the tips of his shoes and back up to his face. Kaiba blinked rapidly, steadying himself mentally.

"Nice! New look?" Kit giggled and motioned Kaiba towards one of the chairs. Kaiba followed him, his feet growing heavy with each step as he reluctantly sat down.

"So...what'll it be today?" Kit hummed merrily, circling him like a shark, clicking his tongue and jutting out his hip.

"A trim." Kaiba said stiffly, trying very hard not to look Kit in the eye. He glanced uncertainly at Kit, his mind racing with strange thoughts. _If he's gay, can he tell if I'm gay?!_ Kaiba swallowed dryly,

"Ohhhh right right right riiiight," Kit said, lisping heavily, "Your girl Cecile, she told me you'd come in for a monthly thing-a-ling. But I guess that's ...changing." Kit's eyes raked intrusively across his face again and Kaiba felt his ears heat up.

"Look, I just need my hair out of my eyes." Kaiba growled, glaring at Kit's reflection in the mirror.

"Yea I hear you, I hear you," Kit said, staring at him with a strange expression, "Hair out of your eyes, got it. Hey, how's the hair dye and contacts working out for you boo?"

Kaiba blinked and responded carefully, "Quite well, thanks."

"Mmmm I see," Kit hummed, "You're not wearing them today?"

"I need, a trim first." Kaiba managed through clenched teeth, curling his fingers angrily over his knees, trying to maintain his temper.

"Okay I gotchu handsome, don't worry." Kit purred and he flipped the barber's cape expertly over Kaiba's slender frame and buckled it firmly around his neck. Floating back around to Kaiba's front, Kit lifted a pair of scissors and shielded Kaiba's face with the back of his hand while he deftly trimmed the bangs, skillfully flipping the hair cleanly away from his face.

Kaiba stared down at the cape as bits of his light brown hair drifted downwards, sliding off the fabric and falling out of sight, onto the floor.

"All donnne!" Kit sang, switching on the blow dryer and blasting the area around Kaiba's face and neck, "Take a look, see?"

Kaiba turned his head carefully from left to right, and nodded. It was done very well actually, it was perfectly sitting above his eyelids, just the way he liked it.

Kit reached around and tugged the cape off from Kaiba's neck and spoke, "Come sit by the basin, I have an idea."

Kaiba froze, instantly suspicious, "What?" he growled.

"Jussst c'mere!" Kit cried, motioning him towards the wash basin seat. "Don't worry, it's just this!" Kit help up a familiar bottle of black hair dye and Kaiba nodded stiffly, rising out of his chair begrudgingly and sat himself down in the seat in front of Kit.

Kaiba leaned his head back and felt the water rushing powerfully against his scalp, his neck straining slightly as Kit massaged the dye thoroughly into his hair. He felt a towel bunch around his forehead and Kit pushed him upwards, "Okay now this waaay handsome." Kit sang happily, leading Kaiba back to the seat by the mirror, humming incessantly to himself.

Kit released the towel and Kaiba watched as thick chunks of black hair fell heavily around his face, his clear blue eyes staring eerily back at him in his reflection. Kit grabbed the blow dryer and ran his fingers back through Kaiba's hair, lightly grazing his scalp.

Kaiba watched as Kit pulled out a light pink, tinted glass jar, and dipped his fingers into the contents, slathering it over his palms and through his fingers.

Kaiba jerked his head back, "Wait...what is that?!" he cried, but it was too late, Kit already had his fingers threaded through the tops of his hair, pulling methodically upwards from root to tip.

"Quit movin' hon, don't wanna mess this beauty up," Kit mumbled, frowning in concentration. He twisted the tips expertly together, styling Kaiba's hair upwards purposefully, brushing the bangs away from his forehead. A light, floral scent from the product drifted down around Kaiba and he wrinkled his nose slightly. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, but it was too feminine for his taste.

Kaiba stiffened in the chair and watched Kit apprehensively as he pulled the hair up and away, exposing his brow. Kaiba blinked deliberately and took a deep breath, willing himself to stay calm.

 _Whatever Kit is doing to my hair, at least it'll wash out with a bit of water_ , Kaiba thought to himself. He couldn't look at himself in the mirror, so he stared down at his hands, clasped together firmly in his lap, waiting for Kit to stop fussing with his hair.

"Done!" Kit said triumphantly, stepping back and wiggling his fingers excitedly. "Tell me, what do you think?!"

Kaiba looked up at his reflection and felt his heart stop.

His bangs hand been pushed back high above his head, curling down elegantly across the top of his head in a slight poof. It had been slicked back with volume, exposing his entire forehead, and Kaiba turned his head left and right, inspecting his features which he'd previously paid no attention to.

His face looked slimmer now that all the hair had been pulled up from his brow, and he noticed his dark circles were more visible, his cheekbones sticking out prominently under the glare of the salon lights. Kaiba blinked, and watched the stranger in his reflection blink back at him. His eyes looked alien, his masculine brow rode high across his face, dipping down towards his slender nose. His eyes looked like two glass marbles set against his pale skin, his black hair was gleaming back at him strangely.

 _Oh my god_ , Kaiba thought as felt his stomach flop nervously, _How do I look so different?! I guess this is what I look like without bangs. God, my eyes stand out too much..._

Kit was blubbering nonsensically beside him, "Oh...you looked so _heavy_ with all that hair in your face, but..lookitchu now...oh my loooorrd...! You look so, so, fresh!"

Kaiba swallowed and saw his adam's apple bob in the mirror, he felt himself nod. He shook his head slightly, feeling his hair stay in place; it was strangely light even though there was product in it, and Kaiba realized he could roll his eyes directly upwards without hair stabbing into his eyes. "What is that?" he asked hollowly, pointing at the pink tinted-glass jar.

"That's just some quality hair wax baby, imported from Korea." Kit said, his eyes fixated permanently on Kaiba's face, and Kaiba shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Oh my god...you look so much better like this. Here," Kit grabbed the glass jar and pressed it into Kaiba's hand.

"Just take it, babe, and get out of here, before I jump you." Kit said, and Kaiba could feel the sweat from Kit's hands lingering on the back of his hand as he pulled away.

"Wait," Kaiba said roughly, turning his head again to face his reflection, noting the sides were also smartened up, laying stylishly over his ears, even his profile looked different. "How did you do this?"

"OH I forgot!" Kit cried, biting his lip in distress, "Okay so just, take a bit, rub it in your hands, and push it back, and up. And you'll feel the product run to the tips of your fingers. And if you want it to be poofier, just add air baby." Kit rattled the blow dryer on the counter. "And you don't need that much water, just keep your palms damp! Simple as that!"

Kaiba stood slowly and nodded, "Thank you. I also need to purchase another set of contacts from you."

Kit gulped visibly and ran to his cart, digging around mumbling and pulling out two packages. He dramatically threw his hand over his eyes and held them out to Kaiba, "Here, _take them_...and just .. _go!_ "

Kaiba rolled his eyes, secretly amazed that there wasn't any hair poking into his eyeballs as he did so. "Well, I need to pay you." he said simply, accepting the package of contacts from Kit,watching in amusement as Kit breathed heavily into his palms and slapped himself lightly.

"Right right.." Kit said distractedly, hurrying over to the front desk and typing frantically into the computer, not making any eye contact.

Kaiba stowed the hair wax and contacts into his leather bag and made his way over towards the desk slowly, slightly perturbed at Kit's behavior. "C-Card please!" Kit said shakily, staring down at the screen, holding his palm out resolutely.

Kaiba smirked and handed him his card, watching Kit silently swipe it and hand it back to him by placing it on the counter, instead of back into his hand. Not bothered in the slightest, Kaiba slid it off the counter and back into his wallet smoothly as he turned to leave.

Kit watched Kaiba walk out through the glass doors, and he let out his breath, leaning against the counter. Fanning himself frantically with both hands, Kit made his way to the salon bathroom to wash his hands.

Outside, Kaiba stepped into his car and closed the door, feeling the heat from the sun gather stiflingly around him. He felt the top of his hair brush the roof of his car, and he tilted his head curiously,

 _Damn my hair is tall_ , Kaiba thought satisfyingly, turning the key in the ignition _, I can see why Yami spikes his hair up to God whenever possible_. Kaiba paused, then remembered... _Yami!_

He rolled the windows down and pulled out his phone, shooting Yami a quick text, "I'm on my way there!" and he dropped his phone back into his pocket. The sun was burning a hole through him and Kaiba rolled the sleeves up on his blazer before backing carefully out of the parking space.

* * *

Yami flipped the "open" sign around on the door and walked back to the counter when he heard his phone buzz against the glass. It was from Hiro! Hurriedly sliding his finger across the screen, he read the text, feeling excitement curl in his chest. Yami grabbed the broom and began sweeping vigorously, keen on knocking off as many chores as he could before Hiro arrived.

* * *

Kaiba pulled his car off the freeway, passing by a row of brightly-lit restaurants, with a huge line of people queuing at the door. Interested, Kaiba parked his car along the curb and pulled out his phone. Checking the location on the internet, he wondered what was causing all the commotion.

He scrolled through the results, pleased to see it was a popular take-out eatery specializing in bentos and set lunches. Kaiba stepped out of his car. Swinging his leather bag over his shoulder he flung the door shut behind him. Walking swiftly up to the line of people, he tried to peer inside, wondering if the wait would be long.

He noticed he was getting stares from the people in line and he ignored them pointedly, craning his neck above their heads. He felt someone tap him on the arm. Kaiba whirled around in a contained fury, looking for the source of the unwanted contact. There was no one around him, and then he looked down at a little girl, about four or five years old, who was squinting up at him from knee-height.

"Excuse me mister, can you take me inside to see my dad?" she said, looking at him with big eyes.

Kaiba frowned down at her, "What?" he snapped, and he glanced around at everyone in line; they were all on their phones, ignoring them purposefully. Kaiba felt his skin crawl, realizing something wasn't right here.

She tugged on his sleeve again and spoke, "My dad works here, but no one's letting me in. You're a tall prince, aren't you mister? Can you carry me inside?"

Kaiba instinctively grabbed her hand and led her to the back of the line, "We're going to wait in line with everyone else."

"But..!" She cried, "That'll take forever!"

"Your dad isn't going anywhere if he works in there," Kaiba said roughly, "You'll see him when we get inside."

The people in front of Kaiba began shifting uncomfortably. It was clear she had already been through the line, asking all the strangers to do the same thing.

"But..my daddy is the buss!" She insisted, close to tears, "And s-so that makes me the buss too!N-Nobody is believing me! "

"What?" Kaiba said, his eyes widening, "Then what are you doing out here?"

"I got c-closed on!" she blubbered, "I w-went to go potty but got outside using another door and it c-closed on me! And I tried to get back in but it was locked!"

Kaiba furrowed his brow, frowning deeply, as the line didn't seem to be moving. He looked down at the girl again and asked, "So your dad is the boss, and he thinks you've been in the bathroom all this time?"

The girl looked at him confused, "Yes I just toldju my daddy is the buss."

"How old are you?" Kaiba asked, trying to keep his voice gentle, leaning down and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

The girl held up four fingers, and sniffled into her sleeve, "I'm four!" she said.

Kaiba sighed, leaned forward and tapped the shoulder of the man closest to them in the line, "Excuse me," he said roughly, "Would you mind letting us-"

"No." The man said firmly, turning away to stare at his phone, "I've been here in this line for about 15 minutes, and that girl has no proof her father owns the place. She doesn't even know his phone number."

"She's four." Kaiba growled through gritted teeth, "Did _you_ know how to memorize numbers when you were four?"

"I could count to ten," the man responded blandly, turning his back completely on Kaiba.

Kaiba clenched his fists and willed himself to remain calm. The line inched forwards slightly, but the girl was starting to sniffle louder, and Kaiba could feel a full-blown tantrum coming on. He leaned down again and patted her head frantically, "Hey, now, don't do that. What's your dad's name?"

"M-Matt." She said, rubbing her eyes furiously.

Kaia gently grabbed her tiny hands away from her face, "Don't cry."

"I-I'm not crying." She said stubbornly.

"What's his last name?" Kaiba asked softly.

"Sm-mith." She said, hiccuping slightly.

Kaiba groaned internally. Of course her dad's name would be the two most common names in the fucking universe. Kaiba sighed and stood up, pulling his company phone out of his pocket, _I guess it's worth a try_ , Kaiba thought haphazardly, dialing his secretary, figuring that she'd probably be able to reach him faster than the rate at which the line was moving.

The girl sniffled loudly beside him and Kaiba reached his hand out for her to hold. She curled a tiny, sweaty, hand around his pinky and held on tightly.

Kaiba pressed the phone up against his ear as it rung through, "Mr. Kaiba!" she chirped, "Good morning!"

"Hey," Kaiba said roughly, "See if you can contact a Matt Smith, owner of the establishment..." Kaiba craned his head up to look around the edge of the building, searching for the sign, "...Bento no Tengoku."

He heard his secretary rustling paper around, "And you would like to schedule a meeting with him? Are you sending an offer to purchase the establishment?"

"No." Kaiba said darkly, "I have his daughter."

"Wh-What?!" She cried, "M-Mr. Kaiba..what is going on?! Is there something I need to know?!"

"She's lost, says her dad is the owner, so just get him to either step outside of the restaurant, or get him on the phone as quick as you can." Kaiba said and he hung up the phone, just as the man standing in front of him turned around to smirk at him.

"Who're you calling," he drawled, "Don't even try. This place is so famous, there are tons of people trying to cut the line any way they can."  
The woman in front of him turned to face them as well, adding, "Yea. I'm here on a paid task. Read: I'm being paid to stand in this line."

Kaiba opened his mouth to retaliate angrily, but then he heard another loud sniffle beside him as the girl let go of his hand and started to huff into her sleeve, trying to muffle her sobs.

"Okay, Okay," Kaiba said, his panic rising higher as her sobs grew louder "Your dad will come out to get you."

"N-No he w-w-won't!" She choked, "He th-th-thinks I'm in the potty!"

"Well what about your mom?" Kaiba asked desperately, "Maybe she can come get you."

"Mommy is inside t-too!" she cried, hiccuping again in an effort to stifle her sobs.

 _So it's a family business_ , Kaiba thought sympathetically, and suddenly the phone buzzed in his pocket. Kaiba picked it up, flinching at the loud background noise garbling through the speakers, and a frantic male voice traveled out of the phone, "A woman told me you have my Adrianne?!"

Kaiba quickly lowered the phone and shoved it towards the little girl, "Here, talk." he said, putting the phone up against her wet cheek. She gripped the phone tightly with both hands "D-Daddy?!" she choked.

The people in front of them turned around to stare incredulously.

"Uh..huh." She said into the phone, sniffling, wiping a tear away with her fist, "I got closed on! I'm outside! A handsome prince charming is borrowing me his phone!"

The people in line began to whisper fervently and Kaiba looked at the doorway expectantly, feeling his panic rise. He felt a tap on his arm and the girl held his phone back at him, tears shining on the surface of the screen. "Thank you mister! You saved me!" she said happily, and just as Kaiba took the phone from her hand, a man and a woman dressed in white hats and aprons, burst out from the doorway, looking distraught.

"Mommy! Daddy!" She cried, waving and running up to them. They rushed forwards and hugged her tightly. Kaiba let out a small sigh of relief and leaned back against the wall of the building, hugging the shadow of the awning, hoping he wouldn't be seen or questioned.

Too late. The little girl was jumping excitedly and pointing in his direction, leading her mom and dad by the hand, over to where he stood.

The tall gentleman with a thin frame and greying hair reached his hand out towards him in a friendly manner. Kaiba automatically shook it, unable to stop his trained business-like habits. His wife clutched the child to her chest, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Thank you _so_ much...Mr..?" The man said, looking directly into Kaiba's eyes, his fingers curling tightly in the handshake. This man was just about the same height as he was.

"No problem." Kaiba said smoothly, squeezing back with equal strength.

"Mr. No Problem." The man repeated, giving him a strange look, not releasing his hand.

"Yep." Kaiba said, faking a small smile, realizing thankfully, that his secretary did not disclose his name in the call.

Kaiba could hear the whispers grow louder around them as more and more people began turning around in the line to stare at him. He could feel himself heating up uncomfortably at their stares.

"Well," The man said, giving his hand another firm shake. "Come inside with me, I would like to speak with you."

Kaiba blinked, and made an effort to smile, expecting his contacts to slide against his eyes, but realized he wasn't wearing his contacts. _Shit._

"Of course." Kaiba said, resisting the urge to swallow nervously. The man nodded and gestured for his wife to follow him around the side of the building.

The man led them towards a series of doors, sitting hidden behind several large dumpsters. A fishy smell invaded Kaiba's nostrils, almost causing him to gag visibly.

"Prince!" The girl cried, running out of her mother's arms and grasping his hand tightly again, "Are we friends now?!"

"Adrianne, come back here!" the mother cried sharply, tugging on the girl's arm but she stubbornly twisted out of her mother's grasp, looking up at Kaiba with her large eyes.

Kaiba swallowed nervously, afraid if he opened his mouth, he might actually vomit. He felt the girl tugging on his pinky and Kaiba and didn't look down, his gaze firmly fixed on the owner who was unlocking the door

"You saved me, you're my prince!" she insisted, her little hands were growing sweaty around Kaiba's little finger.

Kaiba turned slowly and looked at the mother, who had her arms crossed firmly, looking agitated. He threw her a reassuring smile, and swept the girl up with practiced arms, feeling her arms tighten around his neck, hugging him. The mother gasped and the owner turned around, also visibly surprised.

The door was held open for them as Kaiba stepped into a narrow hallway, tightly bracing the girl against his shoulder, quietly noting that with all his years of experience carrying Mokuba in his arms she felt so tiny in comparison.

"Prince, am I your princess now?" She said softly in his ear.

Kaiba turned in the narrow hallway to face her parents, who were staring at him with a strange mixture of fear and admiration. Kaiba knelt and put her down gently, "Yes, yes you are." he said, a smile curved at the corners of his lips. She smiled widely back at him, and ran back to hug her father.

"S-Sir." The man spoke, looking at him uncertainly, "How did you manage to reach my personal number?"

Kaiba stood swiftly, readying himself for the lies he was about to tell, "Oh, I just called around." he responded carefully, trying not to make too much eye contact by glancing around the hallway, peering into several open doors, which he realized were bathrooms. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the bathroom mirror and blinked, feeling the familiar bubble of dread rise up in his throat.

 _I need to put my contacts in_ , Kaiba thought distractedly.

"Yes, well, how can we thank you?" The owner said, clutching the shoulder of his little girl tightly.

"Ow, daddy...!" The girl cried, squirming away.

Kaiba tilted his head towards one of the bathrooms, "Actually, I need to use your amenities."

The family stared at him, their mouths hanging open with surprise.

"I'll be right out" Kaiba said gruffly, and he strode inside quickly, shutting the door carefully behind him. He heard their footsteps pass by and Kaiba sagged his weight against the door. The day had only just begun and he was fucking exhausted. He looked around quickly, thankful that the bathroom was well-lit, and well-furnished, decorated with sea-themed pieces. A large acrylic octopus hung with it's tentacles sprawled out over one side of the wall.

Walking over to the sink, Kaiba inspected his reflection closely, noting the row of seashells artfully framing the mirror. He leaned back and rummaged around in his bag. He found the pack of contacts quickly and popped one of the cases open. He placed it on the counter beside a large conch shell, careful not to spill the saline in the container, and he washed his hands quickly.

The sandy scent from the soap floated up from the sink and Kaiba hastily dried his hands on a paper towel. Holding his breath, he tapped one of the contacts out of the container with the tip of his slender finger, lifting it up to the light, and he pulled his eyelid back with exercised precision to slide the contact into his eye. Kaiba leaned his head back and blinked, feeling the cool saline settle around the corners of his eye. He tilted his head forwards looking into the mirror.

One eye was blue, and the other was brown. Kaiba felt a laugh escape his throat, briefly entertaining the thought of walking around like this for a day, just to see people's reactions. Shaking his head slightly, Kaiba quickly applied the other contact onto his eye and blinked, his vision blurring in and out as it settled over his cornea.

He looked into the mirror again, satisfied with his appearance. He tossed the empty contact container into the trash and exited the bathroom. Stepping out into the hallway, he realized it was empty. The family had vanished, and Kaiba frowned, trying the handle of back door from which he came in through. It was locked.

 _Well, fuck_ , Kaiba realized the father had probably locked it to prevent the little girl from making the same mistake twice. _Shit, I'm going to have to leave through the front,_ Kaiba thought darkly, making his way through the hallway. He could hear the echo of commotion from the front of the restaurant, bouncing around loudly off the walls.

He passed the kitchen and a few of the workers nodded at him, smiling. Unnerved, Kaiba looked away quickly when suddenly the owner burst through a set of flaps, separating the hallway from the chaos at the front of the store.

"Mr. Prince!" he gasped, panting, trying to catch his breath, "My wife and I have something for you, please take it before you leave!"

Kaiba felt himself cringe at his new nickname, his voice caught in his throat as he tried to decline, "No, thank you, really. It's not an issue."

"Yes, I insist!" The man said, frowning suddenly and rushing past him and disappearing into the kitchen.

Kaiba stood awkwardly alone in the hallway, catching glimpses of the crowds of people outside, clamoring around the registers, and Kaiba saw the back of the girl's mother, busy working the register.

 _Where is the little girl?_ Kaiba thought faintly, lifting a flap back _,_ looking for her.

"Here!" The owner cried, appearing behind him, carrying the handles of two large, paper bags of food. "Please. I can't thank you enough. My little Adrienne is always getting into trouble."

Kaiba nodded stiffly and accepted the bags, his arms jerked downwards suddenly at the unexpected weight of the food and the handles dug painfully into the curves of his fingers.

"Oh careful, it's heavy!" The man laughed, quickly adjusting his apron around his neck, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Thank you." Kaiba said numbly, shifting the bulky bags in his hands, "Where is she?"

"Ah, she is in our office, reading a book. I told her to stay in there, but she's very curious, you know, children." The man laughed loudly again and Kaiba noticed a few workers in the kitchen nodding solemnly in agreement.

"Does she need a daycare?" Kaiba asked suddenly, unable to stop himself. He mentally slapped himself. _What the hell am I doing?!_ Kaiba screamed at himself internally, _Why can't I shut the fuck up?_

"That, I'm not sure. I would love to put her in one," The man said, frowning, his hands on his hips, "But she doesn't make friends easily. I'm glad she seems to like you."

Kaiba's mind raced quickly, recalling several notable daycares and nannies Gozaburo had provided for Mokuba, and he set the bags of food down against his legs. "Do you have a pen and paper?" he said quickly, scanning the owner's apron, looking at the pad in his pocket.

"Ah, yes!" The man cried, pulling it out and patting his other pockets for a pen, "May I ask what this is for?"

Kaiba grabbed the pen and pad from the man and quickly wrote down several names of daycares and contact numbers of their top three nannies.

He handed the pad back to the owner and picked the bags up off the floor, readying himself for a barrage of questions.

The owner's eyes darted across the paper, squinting at the elegant handwriting, his eyes widening in amazement, "Are these...?"

"Yes." Kaiba said quickly, shifting the bags heavily in his hands, "The daycare might not work out, but try the nannies. They're very understanding. I believe you can negotiate an affordable rate with them as well. They're not bound by a contract; they're all private nannies."

The man clutched the paper so hard in his hands it began to wrinkle at edges, and he grabbed Kaiba by the shoulder tightly, "Thank you, young man, thank you so much! _Please_ , come back anytime. We will serve you for free! We'll remember you as Mr. Prince, ...won't we dear?" The man called into the front, addressing his wife, and the woman whirled around, counting several large bills in her hands.

"What's that honey?" she called over the commotion.

"Mr. Prince eats for free anytime, yes?" He yelled, his hand still placed firmly on Kaiba's shoulder.

"Of course dear!" She called back, turning to face the customer, bending down over the register to count change.

Kaiba swallowed and nodded again, unable to speak. _I'm Mr. Prince, huh_ , he thought deliriously, swaying slightly where he stood.

"Okay!" The man cried happily, pulling Kaiba along by the arm down the hallway, "Here I'll unlock the door for you and let you out this way."

Kaiba felt his feet move heavily, following the man back down the hallway towards the back exit.

The owner held the door open for him and the rancid smell from the dumpsters caught him in the face again, Kaiba forced himself to remain emotionless.

"Well, Mr. Prince, here you go! I could've sworn you had blue eyes when you came in. My daughter, she's very much into fairy tales," he said nodding, his eyes roaming carefully over Kaiba's face.

"They're contacts." Kaiba growled, not caring if the man misunderstood him, and he quickly stepped past him out the door.

"Ah," The owner nodded, "You kids these days, well if it helps, I think you look great with those blue contacts on! Have a great day!"

Kaiba could feel his eyelids twitching as he forced a smile, and the owner waved merrily, letting the door swing heavily shut. Kaiba heard it clicking loudly as it locked, and he half-jogged away from the dumpsters. Reaching the street, he doubled over, almost gagging. The bags swung heavily against his legs and Kaiba could feel the heat from the food seeping through the paper, stinging his fingers.

There was still an enormous line of people wrapped around the building and Kaiba was secretly thankful he had managed to avoid the wait. He approached his car and pulled the door open, carefully placing the bags of food in the footwell of the passenger's seat. He glanced at his watch quickly, realizing that the entire exchange had taken almost an hour of his time.

Cursing, Kaiba slid into the driver's seat and pulled out of the parking spot, speeding away towards the Kame Game Shop, wondering if Yami would be angry.

* * *

Yami sat down on the stool behind the counter, mindlessly staring out the door, tapping the glass, bored. He glanced up at the clock, watching the minute hands tick by rhythmically, wondering where Hiro was. He had sent him a text almost an hour and a half ago. Frowning, Yami flicked his phone on, scrolling through their messages, re-reading them. There wasn't anything there that he hadn't seen before.

Sighing, Yami tapped Yugi's name in his messaging app, "I invited Hiro over, and he said he was on his way, but it's been nearly two hours. Should I send a second message asking him if he's still coming?" and he sent it, feeling his shoulders grow heavy, watching the large bubble of text float up onto the screen.

Yami glanced out the door, watching several stragglers walk by, staring into the store, interested, but then turning away to leave. His phone buzzed loudly on the counter with Yugi's reply, "He's probably caught up in traffic. Where does he live?"

"Not very far. Near the university actually." Yami replied quickly, feeling the phone slide against the counter as typed his message. Suddenly he heard the loud roar of a sports car echoing up the street, and Yami lifted his head up eagerly, just in time to catch a white blur of silver and chrome whizzing past the shop.

He stood up excitedly just as his phone buzzed again. Yami looked down, reading Yugi's reply, "Yea that's kinda weird. Maybe text him again, or just ask him when you see him."

Yami clicked his phone shut nervously as he heard footsteps approaching from the outside, and he rushed to the front, running straight into Hiro who was right by the door carefully balancing two large bags in each hand.

"Hiro!" Yami cried stepping back to let him in through the doorway. Reaching forwards to grab a bag from his hands Yami paused, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked up into Hiro's face.

Yami felt his breath stop in his chest as he noticed Hiro had taken the time to style his hair differently today. His bangs had been pulled upwards, revealing a sloping masculine brow, and the tips of his hair were twisted stylishly across the top of his head. Somehow, he'd managed to look even taller.

Kaiba glanced down at Yami who was staring at him wide-eyed, opening and closing his mouth like a gaping goldfish. He smirked. Pushing his way past him and into the game shop, he set the heavy bags of food down on the counter.

Yami continued to stare, licking his lips dryly, suddenly not minding that Hiro had taken almost two hours to show up. If he looked this good all the time, hell, Yami figured he'd happily wait all day. He closed the door behind him, feeling it's weight hit his back slightly and he winced, still unable to take his eyes off of Hiro.

Kaiba turned around to face Yami, who was standing awkwardly by the door staring at him unblinkingly. He tilted his head playfully at Yami, "Sorry I'm late," he said flatly, watching Yami's expressions carefully.

Kaiba watched as Yami blinked rapidly and made his way over to him carefully, looking captivated by his new hair style.

"Y-Your hair!" Yami gasped, leaning himself closer towards Hiro, studying him carefully. Yami couldn't stop staring at the way Hiro's cheekbones sloped downwards so dramatically.

"Yea, what do you think?" Kaiba asked, reaching a hand up to gingerly touch his carefully waxed tips, intrigued at the foreign feeling.

"I think..." Yami swallowed nervously, unable to tear his eyes away, "I think it's great!"

Kaiba nodded and gestured towards the bags of food on the counter, "Where can I put these? The owner gave me enough to feed thirty people."

Yami turned his gaze to the counter and his jaw dropped again, "What? How?" he stammered, his voice didn't seem to want to cooperate with him.

"Well," Hiro said slowly, crossing his arms in a very Kaiba-esque way, "Funny story, if you care to hear it."

"O-Of course, please tell me!" Yami choked, gripping the counter tightly, staring deeply into Hiro's dark brown eyes, suddenly noticing the prominent dark circles under his eyes.

"The owner's daughter was wandering around outside; everyone was ignoring her. All I did was help her back inside, and well, this happened." Kaiba gestured towards the stack of bento boxes tied neatly in the large paper bags.

Yami jutted up on his tip-toes trying to peer into the bags. Since the edges were so high up, they were taller than he was. A wonderfully pleasant smell of teriyaki beef and fried chicken wafted up from the bags, causing Yami's mouth to water. "That smells so good!" Yami cried happily, eagerly reaching for one, and Kaiba quickly reached in as well, helping Yami lift the bento box out without spilling.

Yami blushed as he felt Hiro's hand brush over his and he gripped the bento tightly, setting it onto the counter.

Kaiba paid no attention. He was busy rummaging around the bags, pleasantly surprised that the bentos were labeled with small stickers.

"Which one did you get?" Kaiba asked, leaning over Yami's shoulder, looking at his bento for the sticker.

"N-Not sure!" Yami said, louder than he intended, and he cleared his throat awkwardly, turning the bento over in his hands.

"Look on the side," Kaiba instructed, turning another bento over, checking for the label, "It should say beef, chicken, or fish...or?" Kaiba's voice trailed off as he continued to pull more options out of the bag.

Yami picked his bento up and inspected the sides closely, and indeed there was a small handwritten label on the side, it read, "chicken, rice, gyoza".

"Oh!" Yami exclaimed, surprised, "I've got chicken," and he looked towards Hiro who was setting them out on the counter, organizing them intelligently in alphabetical order.

"What are you doing?" Yami asked, biting back a laugh.

"Sorting them." Kaiba said shortly, setting aside a two beef bentos for himself and Mokuba. "I'll be taking these two. You can have the rest."

"What?!" Yami said incredulously, his eyes darting up and down the large stack of bentos, mentally counting them; there were about six in each stack, and Hiro had sorted them into two equal stacks, making it a total of twelve bentos.

"Your...friends can have them." Kaiba said roughly, regretting those words immediately as soon as they left his mouth.

Yami opened his mouth to argue, but his phone rang loudly as if on cue, and Yami grabbed it quickly, thankful he could bide his time forming an excuse. He glanced at the screen, realizing it was Yugi. He quickly slid the call button across and answered it with ease, keeping his eyes fixed on Hiro who was looking around the shop curiously.

"Yugi!" Yami cried, almost desperately, "Are you hungry?!"

"Actually, yea!" Yugi laughed, "Good timing, I was just about to ask you! Want me to bring some lunch back for us? Joey, Anzu, and Tristan are coming over too, just a heads up!"

"No Aibou," Yami said hastily, eyeing the stack of monstrous bentos on the counter, "Hiro brought food, a lot of it. So come home and help us finish it!"

Kaiba kept his gazed fixed on the stack of chessboards in the corner of the shop, and he walked over to it, wondering what he'd gotten himself into now.

 _The whole dweeb gang is going to show up_ , Kaiba thought angrily, _and any chances I have for a peaceful afternoon with Yami are now gone._

Yami watched Hiro lean forward and inspect the chessboards on the shelf as Yugi chatted happily with the others in the background, "Um, Joey wants to know what kind of food?" Yugi said breathlessly.

Yami furrowed his brow and spun a bento around, looking for the name of the restaurant on the label. There was none. "Hold on, Aibou, I'll ask Hiro." Yami said seriously, and Kaiba flinched when he heard Yami call his name.

Slowly turning around to face him, Kaiba attempted a smile, "Yes?"

"What was the name of this restaurant?" Yami asked, tilting his head curiously, "My friends want to know."

 _Fuck! They are coming over!_ Kaiba fumed privately, but what came out of his mouth was, "I believe they're called Bento no Tengoku." he said, trying not to make direct eye contact.

Yami smiled at him lightly, and went back to the phone.

Kaiba turned back around to glare darkly at the chess boards, thinking, _Why does he smile at me so much when I look like this, but he can't spare a smile for me as Seto Kaiba?!_

Yami raised the phone back to his ear and spoke, "Bento no Tengoku, was the name-" the rest of Yami's sentence was cut off by the hysterical screaming coming out from the other end.

"Whaaaaaat?! He WHAT?! WHERE?!" Yami could hear Anzu and Joey yelling fervently at Yugi, asking him to repeat the restaurant name. Yugi repeated the name faintly and more screaming ensued. Annoyed, Yami winced and pulled the phone away from his face, looking towards Hiro who seemed to be staring resolutely at the wall.

"Why are they so surprised?" Yami asked, aiming the question at Hiro.

Kaiba swallowed and answered him without turning around, "The place is apparently very famous, but their lines are ridiculously long."

Just as Hiro responded, Yami could hear Tristan and Joey yelling in the background about two hour waits just to get in through the doors of the restaurant.

Yami's head suddenly grew very light, and he felt dizzy. _Hiro waited in a two hour line for this food?!_ _Perhaps that's why Hiro was so late in coming to see him today!...No, that wasn't what he said! He said he helped the owner's daughter? Was that a lie?!_

"Yami!" Yugi's voice shocked him back to reality and Yami composed himself quickly.

"Yes, Aibou, I'm here." Yami said quickly, his face heating up.

"We're coming!" Yugi cried, "We'll be there soon! We're gonna grab milkshakes on the way back, you want one? Does Hiro want one?"

"Let me ask," Yami said numbly, pulling the phone away from his face again, he called out to Hiro. "Milkshakes are coming, which flavor do you prefer?" Yami said loudly, watching Hiro wrap his slender fingers around a small, glass pawn.

"I don't want one." Kaiba responded, irritated.

Yami nodded and spoke to Yugi quickly, "We won't be needing any, thank you Aibou."

"Kay!" Yugi said brightly, "We'll be there in about thirty minutes! See you soon! Keep those bentos warm!"

"Of course." Yami said, watching Hiro put the pawn down on the shelf and picking up the rook, "Drive safely."

The dial tone rang softly in Yami's ear and he lowered his phone down onto the counter. Stepping around the display case carefully, he made his way over to Hiro.

Kaiba was so lost in thought he didn't hear Yami approach him from behind.

Yami reached out a hand and laid it gently on Hiro's arm, causing him to jump and the rook to fall from his hand, clattering loudly across the mirrored chessboard.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Yami said, reddening a little.

Kaiba blinked, and shook his head, "It's fine." He reached out, straightening the piece and turning to face Yami fully.

"So, your friends are coming over?" Try as he might, Kaiba was unable to keep the contempt out of his voice, and Yami noticed this.

"You're unhappy about this..?" Yami asked cautiously, staring at Hiro through his spiky blond bangs.

"Well," Hiro sighed and crossed his arms again, "Honestly, I thought it would just be the two of us today."

"Oh..." Yami swallowed nervously and felt his blush deepen, "I'm sorry, I thought so too."

"Don't worry about it." Kaiba said roughly, walking back over to the counter, staring at the stack of bentos, wondering how he could make the situation worth his while. He leaned against the counter, weighing his options, wondering how far he could push Yami before the others arrived.

Yami's eyes traveled around the shop nervously. His gaze landed on the glass chess pieces scattered across the mirrored chess board, and he was struck with an idea.

"Hiro," Yami said nervously, eyeing Hiro's back which was still turned to him,"I'll make it up to you."

Kaiba suppressed a snort and gripped the counter tightly, "How are you going to do that?" He asked almost spitefully.

"How about a game of chess?" Yami suggested, approaching him with a devious smile,"I can teach you!"

Kaiba felt his intestines curl unpleasantly again, and he berated himself for lying so poorly. "I'm not sure." He said, hoping Yami wouldn't push the subject, but Yami wasn't so easily deterred.

"In return, perhaps you could show me how to...bake something?" Yami asked hopefully, wishing Hiro would turn around and smile at him.

Yami watched Hiro lean on the counter, looking thoughtful, and Yami's eyes roamed up to his hair again, suddenly feeling an urge to run his hands through it, just to mess it up.

Kaiba frowned, feeling a headache coming on,"Fine. One game of chess." He said shortly, hoping to appease Yami.

Suddenly, the door jingled merrily behind them and Yami whirled around quickly to greet the customer. A tall man with blonde hair and intense, clear blue eyes stood apprehensively by the door, his eyes darting around the room curiously.

Kaiba took one look at this man and a wave of rage shook his entire body. It was the maitre d' from the restaurant . Unsure if Yami would remember this man, Kaiba turned around slowly to catch a glimpse of Yami's face.

Yami was staring at the stranger with a mixture of curiosity and wonderment, his mouth parted slightly with surprise, his adam's apple jumping in this throat.

Kaiba recognized this look and it caused his rage to rise even higher, threatening to spill out in the form of insults as he watched the man who was standing there cordially, waiting to be invited in.

Yami's voice caught in his throat as he immediately recognized the handsome blue-eyed man from the restaurant. "Welcome in...!" Yami managed, not saying the entire greeting properly. "May I help you find something?"

The man smiled charmingly and responded, "I'm looking for a present for my niece, and I know she comes in here all the time. Actually..." The man paused and gave Yami the once over, raking his eyes up and down over Yami's thin frame. Kaiba felt his blood boil dangerously as he saw this. "...You must be Yugi! She's a huge fan, talks about you all the time!" the man continued, his smile showing no signs of fading.

Yami blinked and smiled back gently, wondering nervously if he ought to correct the man, fearing it would be rude right off the bat since he was a paying customer who had just walked in.

"I see." Yami said simply, waiting for the man to continue.

Kaiba swallowed his anger, fuming. _So, Yami will correct me whenever I call him Yugi, but this man can waltz in here, calling him Yugi left and right, and he'll just take it?! This is disgusting!_ Kaiba forced himself to take in a breath and hold it, fearing that if he kept breathing, fire would come out of his nostrils.

"Well. I'm here to purchase a few cards for her. I'm not quite sure which, but perhaps you could help me pick out a few!" the man said, laughing cheerfully, brushing his blonde hair out of his eyes.

Yami nodded silently, walking around Hiro to resume his position behind the counter, and gestured the man further inside. Kaiba leaned away from the counter, staring the maitre d' down as hard as he could.

The man didn't notice and brushed past Hiro blithely, engaging Yami in a conversation about his niece's favorite card archetypes.

Kaiba stepped back from the counter, horrified and furious, watching Yami's expression light up as the man mentioned his niece really enjoyed playing magicians in her deck.

Yami smiled brightly at the man, and pointed into the glass case, suggesting several cards that would compliment her magicians, and Kaiba felt disgust curl in his stomach as the man smiled back even brighter, laughing and winking at Yami.

Yami was dazzled. He was dimly aware of Hiro hovering a few feet away, watching their entire exchange, but Yami didn't care. This man had the most clear blue eyes he had ever seen, and what's more, they were kind and gentle.

"I'll be taking those then," he said, nodding at Yami, agreeing with all of his suggestions.

Yami nodded, unable to speak, and he pulled them carefully out of the glass case, handing them across the counter. The man smiled brilliantly at him again, and his fingers brushed over the top of Yami's hand quickly as he took the cards from him.

Yami swallowed and felt himself blush inadvertently at the sudden contact. He ducked his head down, slightly embarrassed, "What will you be paying with today?" Yami asked quietly, turning to busy himself at the register.

Kaiba noticed everything. Kaiba noticed the man purposely brushing his fingers across Yami's hand. Kaiba noticed Yami blushing and looking away. He was flipping shit, internally screaming but fully aware that he couldn't do anything about it without coming off as completely crazy.

"Let's do cash," the man said, flipping open his wallet, handing Yami the exact amount in a few bills.

"Thank you." Yami said automatically, picking the bills up from the man's palm, his fingers brushing against the warmth of the stranger's hand. Yami quickly placed the money in the register and walked around the counter, gesturing towards the door. "Please come again, I hope your niece will enjoy her gift!"

"Yes, I think she will." The man chuckled lightly, his cerulean eyes twinkling at Yami pleasantly. Yami gazed back into his eyes, slightly lovestruck.

Kaiba felt like vomiting. He couldn't take it anymore. He cleared his throat loudly and crossed his arms across his chest firmly, staring daggers into the man who was pointedly ignoring him, gazing resolutely back into Yami's large violet eyes.

"You know what," the man said slowly, "I actually remember you. You came into our restaurant, yesterday, wasn't it?"

Yami's mouth dropped open with surprise, "Yes..?" his voice raised at the end forming a question. Kaiba clenched and unclenched his fists. If this man wasn't going to leave, he was about to remove him from the game shop himself.

"Well you may not remember me, but I remember you clearly," the blue-eyed man continued, brushing his blonde bangs out of his eyes seductively, "I'd like to thank you for helping me out so much. Here take this." The man slipped a long piece of paper from his back pocket and pressed it firmly into Yami's hand without breaking eye contact.

Kaiba glared at the stranger's hand which was so carelessly holding onto Yami's and he had a sudden, horrible, violent image of him ripping the man's arm off and beating him with it until he was bloody in his handsome, smiling, blonde face.

Yami felt his stomach flutter nervously as the beautiful stranger reached down to grab his hand and warmly press the slip of paper into his palm.

"Come in anytime. I'll gladly seat you in our best spot!" the man said, winking at Yami again, and he let go of his hand, striding confidently past Hiro and out the door.

Kaiba could've sworn the man smirked at him as he brushed past. Trembling with rage he looked down at Yami, who was standing very still, clutching the piece of paper tightly in his hand, staring at the door.

Kaiba dropped all pretenses and grabbed the slip of paper from Yami, "What is this?!" he said roughly, turning the paper over in his hand.

Startled, Yami put his hand down and watched Hiro inspect the paper, visibly angry.

Kaiba studied the slip carefully, noting that it was a voucher for a free meal at the bistro, and his blood ran cold when Kaiba saw the man's phone number written on the back of the slip, in neat, round little numbers.

"What is it?" Yami asked, swallowing nervously. He'd never seen Hiro this angry before, and quite frankly, it was scary. Especially since his hair was brushed upwards, no longer covering his forehead. His brow was furrowed together so tightly, and his usually kind brown eyes were narrowed threateningly down at the slip of paper; it was a terrifying sight to see.

 _A free meal and his fucking phone number?!_ Kaiba seethed, almost wrinkling the slip in his grasp. _I'll show that bastard who the fuck he's messing with. He even pulled it out of his back pocket, not his wallet, which means he came in here with the intent of asking Yami out. I'm standing here right in front of him and he had the nerve..._

"Hiro?" Yami repeated, it seemed like he hadn't heard him.

"I'm keeping this." Hiro said gruffly, swiftly folding the voucher in half and slipping it into his wallet, deciding to burn it later in the privacy of his office.

"Oh...of course." Yami stammered, frowning slightly, "But, what was it?"

"Don't worry about it." Kaiba growled through clenched teeth, glaring furiously at the doorway, almost wishing the stranger would come back into the store just so he could take a swing at his stupid blonde face.

Yami's frown deepened as he watched Hiro stiffen with anger, "I'd like to at least know what it was before you take it." Yami said, shaking his head, "Or give it back."

Fury clouded Kaiba's mind and he forgot who he was for a moment. He curled his mouth up into a sneer and loomed threateningly over Yami. "It's mine now." he spat viciously, "And if you really want to know, it was his phone number. So no, you can't have it back."

Yami stepped back suddenly as Hiro towered over him, his back bumping painfully into the edge of the counter. "His phone number?" Yami asked faintly, his ears humming strangely. Hiro looked positively evil under the shop's lights, his handsome features were twisted into an ugly sneer. A row of white teeth glinted threateningly at Yami, as he backed himself harder into the counter.

"Yes." Hiro hissed, taking another step closer to him, unaware that Yami was already backed all the way up against the counter, "You seem to like him a whole lot having only known him for all of two seconds. You have a thing for strangers, don't you?" Kaiba accused, watching Yami's eyes dart around his face frantically.

"Tell me," Kaiba insisted, pushing himself closer, the plastic from the bento bags crinkled threateningly as Yami's elbow bumped into them, "What is it you like about him?"

"I..." Yami faltered, staring directly into Hiro's chest, unable to look him in the eye, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the shiny silk lapels of Hiro's blazer.

"Well?" Kaiba snapped, waiting for a reply, resolving not to back away until he heard an answer from Yami.

"I...he-his eyes, they remind me of...someone." Yami stumbled on his words, feeling his tongue swell heavily with emotion.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes even further, "Who." he said darkly, grinding his teeth in anticipation of Yami's answer.

Yami swallowed thickly and his vision shifted back and forth; his eyes burned with embarrassment as he whispered, "Seto Kaiba."

Kaiba felt blood rush painfully into his head. _What the fucking hell?!_ His angry stance broke and Kaiba wavered for a moment, his arms hanging down at his sides. _So, here I am, standing in front of him dressed as Hiro with all of my combined efforts, and here he is, telling me a stranger reminds him ...of me._

"Why?" Kaiba felt the question leave his lips before he could stop himself.

Yami drew in a shuddering gasp, trying to remain calm, "I just...I'm connected to him, Hiro."

"Oh really," Kaiba said furiously, recalling Yami's behavior last night, disagreeing with that statement. "So, where does that leave me?"

Yami looked desperately up into Hiro's dark brown eyes which were still narrowed into threatening slits, "You mean a lot to me too!" he cried, his concern rising as he realized Hiro was still very angry. It was starting to scare him.

"I don't believe you." Kaiba scoffed, purposely pushing Yami away with his words. He knew this phrase would trigger something hurtful in Yami, as he knew how much Yami valued trust in his relationships.

Yami's eyes widened and he blinked, visibly shaken, "Please believe me. I've done things with you, I couldn't imagine...myself...doing with anyone else." Yami struggled to find the right words as his heart thumped loudly in his chest, his body was strangely numb.

"Things." Kaiba repeated, smirking, allowing himself to enjoy Yami's distress. "What kind of things?"

Yami looked down at his shoes and said nothing, suddenly realizing how close they were standing together.

 _I win_ , Kaiba thought maliciously. "What things?" he repeated, lowering the tone of his voice.

Yami noticed Hiro sounded gentle once again, wondering if he was forgiven and he lifted his head curiously just as Hiro's lips came crashing down onto his, their teeth bumping against each other painfully.

Kaiba reached a hand up to press Yami closer into him, threading his fingers through his spiky tri-colored hair, forcefully slipping his tongue through Yami's parted lips, tasting him.

Yami blinked wildly, his head swimming with confusion as Hiro's tongue swirled powerfully inside of his mouth, causing his stomach to flutter. Hiro was being uncharacteristically rough!

Yami tried to pull away but Hiro tightened his grip and bit down on Yami's lower lip, hard.

Yami's eyes began to tear up in pain. _What is happening?!_ Yami thought frantically, growing dizzier and weaker by the second. _If this is Hiro's idea of rough play, I'm not enjoying it! He must be extremely angry with me!_ Yami shut his eyes, unable to breathe, tapping his fist along Hiro's arm, asking him to let up silently.

 _Nice try,_ Kaiba thought viciously, tasting blood in his mouth. Pushing his lips down harder onto Yami's, wrapping his arms tightly around Yami, trapping his arms down at his sides.

Yami gasped audibly as Hiro pulled him into a crushing embrace and he felt his feet leave the floor. He opened his mouth to protest, but was muffled against Hiro's shoulder as he felt the counter slide under his ass. The bento boxes were shoved across the counter, and several crashed loudly onto the floor.

Hiro nudged Yami harder up onto the surface, pressing a knee tightly into his groin, causing him to cry out, "Ah..! Hir-" Yami was cut off roughly again as Hiro shoved his tongue deep into his mouth.

Hungry for more, Kaiba opened his mouth wider, pushing Yami closer into him, and he inhaled deeply, filling himself with Yami's unique scent. Yami wasn't responding as enthusiastically. He had hidden his tongue in the back of his mouth and Kaiba frowned into the kiss, dragging his thumb underneath Yami's jaw, pulling his mouth open wider.

Yami gripped Hiro's arm tightly, the scent of Hiro's cologne was suffocating him, and he dug his nails into the fabric of his blazer, attempting to shake his head. Kaiba felt Yami struggle and a monster of rage and frustration reared up in him again,

 _Respond, dammit!_ Kaiba growled internally, pushing himself harder against Yami, causing the counter to creak under their combined weight. Kaiba jerked his head back suddenly and gathering all of his strength, he pulled Yami flush against his body, lifting him up off the floor and pushing him down flat onto the countertop.

Yami gasped as Hiro's weight pressed into his body and he leaned forwards, his neck straining, trying to catch his breath. Yami attempted to glare at him, gripping his shoulders tightly as Hiro leaned in to nibble his collarbone lightly.

Yami felt the room spin as Hiro licked and sucked diligently on his neck, alternating between tongue and teeth, it felt so ticklish and erotic all at once, and Yami's breathing grew ragged.

Kaiba smirked as he saw this and latched onto that particular area and began sucking and teasing the spot, enjoying the taste of Yami's hot skin beneath his teeth.

A low, guttural moan escaped from Yami's lips, and the sound reverberated through Kaiba's body, landing directly into groin. Kaiba hardened instantly and he felt his body beginning to heat up as his erection strained painfully against the fabric of his jeans.

Yami shivered when Hiro's hot breath passed gently across his skin, his teeth scraping him slightly, and Yami leaned his head back unwittingly, silently asking for more.

Kaiba felt Yami relax in his embrace, and he purposely pulled back, looking deep into Yami's eyes. He smiled as gently as he could, "I know I'm being rough," he said hoarsely, "But really, I can't help myself."

 _And that is the truth_ , Kaiba thought adamantly to himself.

Yami struggled to maintain eye contact with Hiro as his vision began sliding in and out of focus, "I-It's okay..." he managed.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Yami, wondering if he should continue pushing him, "It's okay?" he repeated, "Is that really okay?"

"Yes," Yami said, smiling back at him. He leaned forwards and brushed his nose gently across Hiro's.

Kaiba blinked, startled.

Yami reached up and threw his arms around Hiro's neck, pulling him down on top of him. The back of Yami's head hit the counter painfully as pulled Hiro down with him.

Kaiba lost his balance. His arm shooting out to brace against the surface of the counter, steadying himself and hovering over Yami.

Kaiba's boner was sticking painfully into the edge of the counter and he winced. Yami noticed this and quickly sat back up, flushing and apologizing profusely, "I'm sorry, did that hurt?"

"I'm ...fine." Kaiba groaned, lowering his head to look down at himself.

Yami's eyes followed, and he flushed even deeper when he saw Hiro's bulge straining uncomfortably in his pants. "Oh," Yami said quietly, blinking rapidly, unable to look away.

Kaiba felt his blood boil dangerously and he pushed himself back on top of Yami, overcome with a sense of vicious satisfaction when he felt Yami wrap his legs around his waist. Kaiba felt his elbows shake in an effort to restrain himself as he hovered tantalizingly over Yami, who was laying obediently beneath him, his blond bangs falling away from his face.

 _If only he knew,_ Kaiba thought darkly, before leaning down and capturing Yami's lips in his, gently at first, but then roughly pressing his teeth along Yami's tongue, which was sliding into his mouth boldly.

Kaiba slowly lifted a hand off the counter and slid it slowly up Yami's shirt, feeling Yami shiver at his touch. Kaiba pushed Yami's shirt up slightly on one side, brushing his thumb lightly over Yami's nipple, feeling it perk up with excitement.

Yami's grip tightened around his neck and he felt hands begin to roam upwards into his hair.

 _Yes,_ Kaiba nodded into the kiss, his nose bumping into Yami's cheek. _Grab my hair. Pull it, pull at it like you want me._

He felt another breathy moan escape from Yami's lips which got muffled between them as Kaiba kissed Yami deeply again, rhythmically rocking his knee against Yami's groin, feeling his erection rub through the fabric.

Yami gasped at the pressure from Hiro's knee digging into his crotch, his lungs filling with Hiro's sweet breath. Kaiba pinched Yami's nipple triumphantly, enjoying all of the new reactions he was eliciting from Yami.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't hear the shop door jingle as the Yugi gang entered, carrying handfuls of milkshakes. Everyone stood still, thunderstruck, trying to process what they were seeing. Yami was sitting up on the counter, his legs wrapped around a tall, well dressed figure, who had his hand up Yami's shirt, making out with the stranger furiously.

Yugi dropped his milkshake onto the floor, and it splattered everywhere, spilling across Tristan's shoes and seeping into his socks.

"Oh fuck! Yugi! These are new!" Tristan yelped, dancing awkwardly on his toes, shaking his feet, balancing his drink in his hand.

Kaiba yanked his head back forcefully, feeling Yami's hands slide out of his hair. He quickly withdrew his hand out from under Yami's shirt, his blood rushing powerfully through his veins, causing his ears to ring.

Yami blinked, dazed.  
"Hello." he said calmly, keeping his legs wrapped tightly around Hiro, attempting to hide both of their erections.

No one responded. It was just stares and mouths hanging open.

Anzu spoke first, "Okay, guys, we're going to step outside for two minutes, and you two better be fucking presentable when we come back in."

Yami swallowed nervously. He'd never heard Anzu use such rough language, especially in the presence of unfamiliar company. Yami quickly unhooked his legs off from around Hiro's hips as the gang exited the shop quickly, slamming the door behind them. He stared at the puddle of Yugi's spilled milkshake pooling around the door frame, realizing that he was going to be the one who would be cleaning that up later.

Kaiba's eyes darted between the door, and Yami's sullen expression, aware that he had fucked up badly. The friendship girl had just used the "f" word, and that probably meant something bad. Abort. Mission abort.

"I'm sorry." Hiro said quickly, looking genuinely abashed, "I'll leave immediately, after I help you clean that up."

"You really don't have to," Yami said hoarsely, "I'm the one ..that should've...I didn't stop us."

Kaiba shook his head, feeling his face burn with anger and embarrassment, "Throw me some paper towels. I'll take care of it and you can pick those up." Kaiba pointed at the bentos laying face down on the floor behind the counter, immensely grateful that the lids had remained intact and no food had actually spilled out onto the floor.

Too distressed to argue, Yami nodded and ran through the hallway leading into the house, not bothering to take his shoes off. He grabbed the paper towels off the kitchen counter, and wrapped large handful around his fist, wetting it under the sink for good measure, knowing that the milkshake would leave a sticky residue.

He rushed back out to the shop, dismayed but secretly pleased that Hiro had picked the bentos up and stacked them neatly together once again. "I thought you said..." Yami started, but Hiro shook his head quickly at him, motioning for the paper towels.

Understanding his urgency, Yami split the handful in half, handing Hiro a huge wad. They rushed to the door, dabbing at the liquid which was quickly drying in the summer heat. Kaiba cleaned the mess up easily, accustomed to swiftly tidying up when he was at the bakery, secretly thinking that this was the best skill he'd picked up yet.

Yami watched in amazement as Hiro's large hands swept over the mess, expertly soaking up most of it. It was clear to Yami that Hiro did manual labor quite often while working at the bakery and he couldn't help but feel slightly impressed.

Kaiba silently reached his hand out for the wet towels which were hanging limply from Yami's fingers. He was aware that Yami was staring at him intently as he cleaned, and Kaiba lifted his head, smiling gently at Yami. "Hey," he said softly, brushing his nose across Yami's bangs, enjoying the feeling of Yami's soft hair against his bare forehead, "I'll see you again, okay? Don't worry about this too much."

Yami lowered his head slightly, unsure of how to respond. Kaiba leaned in playfully pressing his lips lightly against Yami's. Briefly enjoying their softness for a millisecond, before backing away and pulling the towels out from Yami's hand. He slapped them onto the floor wetly and began wiping up the sticky trails of milkshake.

Yami sat back on his heels, stunned, and a warm feeling surged up from his chest as his heart soared.

They heard voices, and the shadow of many legs appeared behind the door, seeping in through the crack underneath as the gang milled around the entrance.

Anzu shouted through the door, "We're coming in!"

Quickly glancing around the shop, Kaiba spied a garbage can in the corner nearby and he lobbed the soaking wad of paper towels at the bin with precision. Yami watched as it soared in an arch impressively, slapping loudly against the side of the bin as it slid slowly down to the bottom.

Kaiba straightened up and held a hand out to Yami, offering to help him up. Yami smiled up at him, a beautiful, genuine smile, and grasped his hand warmly. Kaiba felt his chest tighten and he pulled Yami to his feet, feeling him stumble forwards slightly from the strength of his grasp.

The door swung open just as Yami's shoulder bumped against his lightly, and sunlight streamed in towards Kaiba's face, almost blinding him. He gripped Yami's hand tightly, not letting him go.

Kaiba needed everyone to see, that this was what was happening. Yami was his, and he wasn't going anywhere. He saw Yugi's eyes trail from their shoulders down to their hands, the other three did the same, but not as silently.

"We're hungry, so maybe we can talk about this after we eat?" Joey spoke up hopefully, his question directed more towards Anzu than anyone else.

Tristan raised his voice up to a whine, "Ahhhh I dunno guys, Yugi owes me a new pair of shoes. Or Yami does. Either way, someone is getting me new shoes."

Anzu opened her mouth to speak, but Kaiba cut across her intentionally, "I'll be getting you new shoes."

Everyone paused to stare at him, and Kaiba felt himself sweat. He clenched his fists, his hand tightening around Yami's and he viciously reminded himself to stay in character.

"...Bro." Kaiba added halfheartedly, glancing down at Yami who was standing silently beside him, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

"Uh huh." Anzu said coldly, crossing her arms across her chest, "And-"

"And I will be leaving now." Kaiba said, attempting to keep his tone even, knowing that the longer he stuck around, the harder it was going to be for Yami later on. "Please enjoy the food." and he abruptly let go of Yami's hand and pushed his way past Joey and Yugi, suddenly missing the rush of his coat tails behind him after doing so.

The group watched Hiro walk away slowly and disappear around the corner.

Anzu immediately rounded on Yami, "What was that?! Are you seriously doing _that_ , in your shop, in the middle of the day, with a guy you just met, literally 3 days ago?"

"Anzu...it's okay," Yugi begged, eyeing Yami carefully, aware of how tense everyone was feeling at the moment.

"I'm okay with it." Tristan shrugged, "If I'm getting a new pair of shoes out of it, who's to say no?"

"Yea lucky you," Anzu responded sarcastically. "Because that's the real problem here."

There was a silence as they waited for Yami to speak up.

"There is no problem." Yami said softly, not making eye contact with anyone.

Anzu sighed, looking at Yami with a bit of pity in her eyes, "I hate to tell you this, but there are some guys out there who just...don't care enough about you."

"I don't know what you mean." Yami replied numbly, feeling the ground give way beneath him.  
"He cares about me."

"Anzu, I don't think you're in the position to say anything..." Yugi began, blinking nervously.

"You're right, I'm not." Anzu scoffed, "But _I_ care about you, Yami, so I'm going to say this to you as many times as you need to hear it. Some guys, just want to have sex with you, okay?"

Joey and Tristan groaned loudly and pushed past Yami into the shop, noisily digging around in the bags of food, yelling at each other about what type of meat they wanted.

Anzu stood resolutely before Yami and placed her hands on her hips, "I know what I'm talking about. And tell me if any of this sounds right. You don't even know the first thing about him, but everything you do with him feels "right"."

"Anzu..." Yugi begged, "Lay off...Yami really likes him."

"I know." Anzu said darkly, almost glaring at Yami, "And that's the problem. Who is this guy? Where did he come from? Suddenly we're, like, having lunch with him almost every day? He's bringing us this food from a restaurant that requires a 2 hour wait?! Can we talk about how he just offered to buy Tristan a new pair of shoes?!"

Tristan heard his name and yelled out with his mouth full, "Again, no complaints!" and continued shoving food into his mouth.

Yugi looked helplessly between Anzu and Yami, and he shoved his hands into his pockets for a lack of anything else to do.

"Tell me Yami," Anzu continued shrilly, "Have you had sex with him?"

Joey and Tristan began coughing and choking loudly into their food and Yugi shuffled his feet, turning a bright pink.

"I haven't." Yami lied, feeling the ground tilt and shift beneath him violently.

"Well I'll tell you what happens if and when you do end up having sex with him." Anzu said, her voice echoing through the game shop, "He'll leave you. Because that's it. He had his fun. You think he'll stick around now, because he's doing all these nice things for you." Anzu gestured at the boxes of food. "But I know guys like this. They can turn the charm on and off faster than you can say "I love you" and once you've given them what they want, they're gone."

Yami felt the air around him grow thick and he had trouble drawing his next breath as Hiro's ugly sneer flashed across his mind, followed by the ghostly sensation of Hiro's hands shoved up his shirt.

Yugi spoke up timidly, "Anzu, how do you know all this? You can't say that about someone we barely know. This isn't something you can predict."

"I can say this _because_ we barely know him!" Anzu said, exasperated. "Think about it Yugi-"

"Stop." Yami commanded, his voice wavering slightly as his vision blurred at the corners, and he turned around quickly, making his way past Joey and Tristan who were still eating noisily.

Yami stormed through the hallway into the house, half running up the stairs. He almost tripped on the final step as he stumbled into his room. He weakly shut the door behind himself and made his way over to the bed, shaking.

He sunk down into the mattress heavily, Anzu's words echoing painfully around in his head, " _He can turn the charm on and off...once he's had his fun...because he's doing all these nice things for you...everything you do with him feels "right" ..."_

Yami threw himself back onto the bed, glaring at the ceiling. Hot tears leaked from the edges of his eyes and dripped backwards, running down past his temples and across his ears. _Hiro_ is _charming,_ Yami thought miserably, _but that's who he is. He was angry at my behavior towards the restaurant server who came in. He gave me a phone number..._

Yami sat up and gripped his knees tightly, staring down at the floor, _I suppose it's understandable that Hiro would feel jealous, because we're human._

Yami leaned back into the pillows again and at stared the tree outside his window, casting a shadow into the room. He felt his mind shut off as he drifted into an exhausted sleep.

* * *

Kaiba got into the driver's seat of his car and sat behind the wheel, fuming. The air in the cabin was becoming unbearably hot and Kaiba shrugged his blazer off furiously.

 _That friendship girl is probably going to rag on Yami for kissing a stranger he just met_ , Kaiba growled, fully aware that Anzu had been giving him the stink eye since day one. He turned the engine on and it roared to life loudly, the sound matching his rage.

 _What the hell am I supposed to do? Buyout the whole peanut gallery?!_ Kaiba thought savagely, as he pulled away from the game shop and onto the freeway. _I've already given them all free phones, what the fuck else do they want?!_

Kaiba merged rudely in front of another vehicle without signaling, their horn blaring loudly at him from behind. _Well shit, I did that as Seto Kaiba didn't I._

He merged recklessly again, stepping down vehemently on the pedal. _So, what, am I going to have to bake these dweebs a friendship cake? To prove that I'm a trustworthy individual?_

His pockets buzzed vigorously and Kaiba slowed the vehicle down, shifting himself in an attempt to get at whichever phone was ringing. They both were. Cursing, Kaiba finessed both phones out from his pants pockets while balancing the wheel with opposite hands. One call was from Mokuba, the other, was from Yami.

Growling, Kaiba tossed his Hiro phone aside and answered Mokuba's call. "What." he snapped into the receiver.

"Seto, one of the tutors called in sick, so I don't really have anything else left to do for today." Mokuba said quickly. Kaiba pulled off the freeway and stopped at a light, sighing heavily. "Okay kiddo, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I-I don't know?" Mokuba stammered, "I was hoping I could spend the day with you..? Unless you're not out on a d-date...are you?"

Kaiba grit his teeth and stepped on the gas again as the light turned green, he was nearing the mansion, "No, Mokuba, I'm not out on a _date_." He spat the word out distastefully, remembering the grinning face of the annoyingly handsome blonde from the restaurant. _The restaurant! The voucher._ Kaiba suddenly had a wicked idea.

"Mokuba are you hungry?" Kaiba said, knowing the answer fully.

"Yes?" Mokuba said hesitantly, "Are you gonna make something for us? It's a little late for lunch isn't it?"

Kaiba laughed, catching Mokuba off guard, "Actually, I was thinking about taking you out somewhere. You'd like this place Mokuba." Kaiba said, checking his rear view mirror before merging again.

"O-okay big brother! I'll get ready! Is it a nice restaurant? Should we wear something fancy?" Mokuba asked, his voice raising hopefully.

"Yes," Kaiba said fiendishly, "Let's wear something fancy."

"I can't wait!" Mokuba exclaimed, "So when are you coming home?"

"Right now," Kaiba said smoothly, pulling into the driveway of the mansion. He saw Isono peer through the curtain on the top floor and he stuck his hand out his window, waving him away. The silhouette of Isono nodded and disappeared into the house.

"Oh awesome!" Mokuba cried, "I'll get dressed super quick!" and he hung up the phone.

Kaiba stepped out of his car, smirking. He slammed the door and made his way up the steps, knowing he was going to enjoy dinner at the bistro very much.

* * *

Yugi and Anzu peeked into the room, noticing Yami had fallen asleep with his shoes still on. They tiptoed towards him and Anzu nodded at Yugi. Yugi carefully pinched the phone out of Yami's pocket and they exited the room quietly, closing the door behind themselves.

They made their way downstairs and Yugi unlocked Yami's phone, realizing he hadn't set up a password yet. "I don't know about this Anzu," Yugi said worriedly, feeling guilty about prying into Yami's personal belongings.

"If you agree with me, even in the slightest, then you'll know this is the right thing to do." Anzu said seriously, reaching for the phone. Yugi let her take it out of his hands and watched her frown as she flicked through Yami's messages.

"Wow, they don't even talk much. That's somehow even worse." Anzu said, lowering her voice as a pit of dread settled in her stomach.

"What? How?" Yugi asked shrilly, peering over her shoulder to look onto the screen.

"That means they're saying and doing everything in person." Anzu said darkly, "Look, 'meet me at...' and 'can't wait to see you..', 'come visit me tomorrow'."

Yugi looked away quickly, his face reddening again, "That doesn't mean anything. You don't know that it does."

"Well this is how I'm going to find out." Anzu said resolutely, tapping Hiro's name in the contacts bar and putting it on speakerphone. The phone rang loudly through the empty living room. The sounds of Joey and Tristan smacking their lips obnoxiously were muffled by the doorway separating the hallway from the shop.

The phone rang though to an automated message, dictating that the user's mailbox had not been set up yet.

Anzu glowered at Yugi, almost triumphantly, "See? This jerk won't even let you leave a message. His voicemail hasn't even been set up."

"Well maybe it's a new phone!" Yugi insisted, "Yami's voice mailbox isn't set up either."

"Yami is Yami," Anzu said, "You know how he is with tech, especially phones. This Hiro guy doesn't strike me as particularly dumb or air headed."

Yugi hung his head and his shoulders sagged, "I dunno Anzu, how exactly do you want to do this? It's really none of our business."

"Then you stay out of it Yugi." Anzu said brutally, "I'll get to the bottom of this, and I won't say anything to anyone until I know something for sure."

Yugi nodded dejectedly and took the phone out of Anzu's hand. He trudged back up the stairs and put the phone back into Yami's pocket.

* * *

Kaiba and Mokuba stepped out of their limo and into the quaint little street, lined carefully with red brick, well-lit shops stretching down both sides of the road. People stared and whispered as they got out of their vehicle. Kaiba swept his coat behind him with a flourish, enjoying the attention. Mokuba stood next to him, enraptured by their surroundings. The large potted plants swung gently in the wind, and the flower bushes were glistening with water from the evening sprinklers.

Mokuba looked around, delighted at all the greenery, "Wow, it's so pretty here Seto, we should come here more often!"

Kaiba smirked and nodded silently, walking towards the familiar grey awning draped over a curved marble entrance. Mokuba hurried to fall into step with his older brother, "Are we eating here?" he asked excitedly, his eyes darting up and down the gold leaf decorations.

"Yes," Kaiba said, unable to keep a grin from forming across his lips.

They were greeted at the front by the attractive blonde haired and blue-eyed maitre d'.

Kaiba felt a rush of intense satisfaction as he saw the man's expression go from happy to terrified in one second.

"Hello, and welc-c," the man stammered, and he took a deep breath, composing himself. "Welcome. I will be your server today Mr. Kaiba. Your orders will be expedited by the kitchen and our manager would love to have a word with you about your meal afterwards."

Kaiba bit his tongue in an effort to keep himself from laughing out loud, watching the man wring his hands nervously, leading them into the restaurant and almost tripping on the edge of a chair leg.

 _You're not so confident now, are you?_ Kaiba mused sadistically, _Pull that shit again with Yami and I'll be showing up here every day._

Mokuba frowned, watching the matire d' stumble, and he looked up at his brother, expecting a scowl, but Seto was almost smiling. Confused, Mokuba resolved to carefully watch Seto for the rest of the evening.

The maitre d' seated them on an outdoor balcony, pulling the chairs out for them with shaking hands, and fumbling the menus clumsily onto the table. "I-I'll be right back." he said, rushing away before the Kaiba brothers could manage to sit down. Mokuba watched him go, and he stood awkwardly by his chair, glancing at Seto curiously. "Um..Seto? I'm don't think this service is up to par. Are you sure we're gonna eat here?"

Kaiba grinned at Mokuba and gestured for him to sit, "Oh trust me, the food here is great. As for the service," Kaiba smiled maliciously again as he caught a glimpse of the blonde maitre d' bowing and fidgeting while speaking with the manager. "The service should be fine."

Mokuba followed Seto's eyes towards the maitre d' and understood the look on Seto's face very well. "Do you know that guy?" Mokuba asked apprehensively, sitting down in the plush chair.

Kaiba lowered himself into his seat and flipped the napkin neatly onto his lap, smirking, "Nope. He's a total stranger."

Mokuba nodded and poked at the silverware on the table, "Yea I know he's a stranger. But did he do something to upset you?"

"Yep." Kaiba responded viciously, his fingers passing into his breast pocket, flitting over the voucher the maitre d' have given to Yami.

"What're you gonna do to him?" Mokuba asked fearfully, suddenly regretting even asking.

"I haven't decided yet." Kaiba said maliciously, watching the maitre d' make his way back to their table, "Quiet, he's coming back."

Mokuba sat up straight in his seat and watched as the maitre d' returned with water and the wine menu. He placed it with a shaking hand in front of Seto, who disregarded it with a wave. Swallowing and nodding, the maitre d' pointed a trembling finger at the menu and spoke, "Our specials today a-are-"

"Go away." Kaiba snapped, peeling the menu back page by page, already knowing what he was going to order.

"Yes sir." The blonde haired man said, swimming away back to the manager with his hands in front of him, his shoulders hunched.

Mokuba furrowed his brow. Seto wasn't giving the guy a hard time like he usually did, if anything, he was being _nice._ If he really wanted to make that guy suffer, Seto wouldn't just dismiss him, he'd keep him around just to torture him, and make him explain every item on the menu.

"What should I get, Seto?" Mokuba asked, looking around carefully. He could see their limo from up here, they weren't that high up.

"I think you'll like the lasagna," Kaiba said, his eyes flashing mysteriously. "And I'll have nothing."

"What?!" Mokuba cried, unsure if he had heard Seto correctly, "Why? Aren't you hungry?"

"Not for food." Kaiba growled and the maitre d' bobbed back into sight, approaching their table meekly.

"Sirs, have you decided on a dish?" he said, pulling out a shiny, Kaiba Corporation tablet.

Mokuba saw this and his eyes widened, "You guys use our tech?"

The man blinked his clear blue eyes and nodded at Mokuba, "Yes, yes, young sir, your company's technology has been most instrumental to our restaurant's success."

Kaiba's smirk widened and he said nothing, using his silence as a weapon.

"M-Mr. Kaiba, may I please take your order?" The maitre d' said, addressing him directly, but Mokuba, knowing Seto was ordering nothing, spoke up instead, "I'll have the lasagna please."

The maitre d' broke out into a visible sweat, "Ah yes, _young_ Mr. Kaiba will have the lasagna," he tapped the order into the pad and glanced uncertainly at Seto.

Before he could ask, Kaiba spoke for the first time, "So, does that make me _old_ Mr. Kaiba?" he asked, feeling his shoulder shake from his efforts to contain his laughter,

Mokuba's jaw dropped, _was Seto joking with the maitre d'?_

"I'm so sorry!" the maitre d' stammered, "I did not mean it that way!"

Kaiba turned his unwavering gaze towards the maitre d' and kept silent, keeping a straight face. He was enjoying this very much.

"S-So, your order Mr. Kaiba?" The man stammered, brushing the hair out of his eyes in the way that Kaiba hated so much.

"I'll have nothing." Kaiba said, feeling his mouth curve upwards into a sneer.

"I-I'm sorry?" The maitre d' said, his voice barely breaking a whisper.

"You heard me," Kaiba scoffed, tossing his hair out his eyes, "Now get out of my sight."

The maitre d' bobbed nervously again and rushed towards the manager, dabbing his brow with his pocket square.

Mokuba leaned forwards across the table, keeping his voice lowered, "Seto, what exactly did he do to you?"

"He didn't do anything to me per say," Kaiba said lazily, examining his manicure irritably, realizing his nails were still chipped and he kept forgetting to get them fixed. "He was rude to Yami in front of me. This is is his punishment."

Mokuba leaned back into his seat, the answer sat strangely with him. _Seto is here for revenge on Yami's behalf? Not his own?_

"What did he do to Yami?" Mokuba swallowed, adjusting his tie stiffly, half-dreading the answer.

"I can't tell you." Kaiba said simply, sipping the water pleasantly, enjoying the fact that his mere presence was causing such distress among the staff, and the fact that he ordered nothing on top of that, was causing an even greater disturbance.

The maitre d' returned with another waitress, and they began setting several dishes onto their table. He uncovered a steaming plate of lasagna before Mokuba, and Mokuba's mouth began to water as he saw the three large meatballs sitting in the center of his plate alongside the lasagna.

They placed what looked like chicken Gruyere with sauteed mushrooms in front of Kaiba, along with several cuts of their finest roast beef, surrounded by various small dishes of salad and assorted greens. The maitre d' thunked a glass beside Kaiba's arm and began filling it heavily with red wine.

Kaiba leaned back into his chair and smirked, "We didn't order any of this." he said brusquely.

"It is on the house," the maitre d' said quickly, his arm trembling slightly as the liquid sloshed around in the glass, not looking Kaiba in the eye, "We insist you must not leave hungry. Please try our specialty dishes." While the maitre d' was speaking, he accidentally spilled a bit of wine as he lifted the bottle up. The red liquid splashed across Kaiba's sleeve, soaking into the dark fabric.

Mokuba's eyes widened as he saw this and he dropped his fork loudly on his plate, his hands covering his mouth, knowing Seto was going to explode.

The matire d' looked as if he was about to cry, and swallowed thickly, trying to find his voice. "I am _so sorry_ , Mr. Kaiba, my hand was unsteady..."

Kaiba looked him directly in the eye, noting that his eyes were a much lighter blue than his own were, and he smiled as gently as he possibly could, "It's okay, really."

Mokuba felt his heart stop in his chest as he watched the exchange unfold between Seto and the maitre d'.

The waitress was standing beside him, her eyes darting back and forth between their table and the manager who was standing a few feet away. Everyone was holding their breath.

"Let me get that for you." The matire d' said, gaining some confidence after hearing the politeness in Kaiba's voice, and he reached down bravely for the napkin in Kaiba's lap.

"It's really okay," Kaiba said, keeping his smile gentle, "Look I've got it." He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the voucher with his slender fingers and slowly wiped his sleeve with it, feeling the wine from the fabric soak through to the paper.

Kaiba's gentle smile turned cruel as he watched the handsome maitre d's eyes widen from shock, into horror, and then embarrassment, as Kaiba slowly used the voucher as a napkin. He made sure to use it phone number side facing up, so the man could clearly see that it was the voucher he had given Yami.

Kaiba crumpled it up after it had been completely soaked and threw it in his plate, watching it expand slowly as it touched the liquid in the food.

"That's for you." he said, grinning gleefully at the matire d's look of unabated horror. "Maybe you should take that back to the kitchen, or better yet, explain to your manager what that's doing in my food. It's disgusting. Take it away."

The matire d' stood frozen for a moment, before snapping out of it and quickly picking the plate up from the table, hurrying away. The waitress was left standing there, alone, looking extremely bewildered at the exchange. Mokuba was equally as confused, _did Seto just use a piece of paper as a napkin?_

Kaiba smirked, finally satisfied, he laced his fingers together in front of his mouth and tilted his head at Mokuba. "How's your lasagna?" he asked, noticing the waitress was still standing dumbstruck, at the edge of their table.

"It's really good Seto." Mokuba managed, staring at the dark stain on Kaiba's sleeve, "Um, do you wanna go home and change? It must be uncomfortable to have your whole sleeve be wet like that..."

The manager came rushing over to their table, dragging the waitress away by the elbow, taking her place, "Sir, we-we are so, so, sorry for that, he is our _most_ professional...ah.., it'll never happen again. Please don't let it affect the rest of your evening here with us." he mumbled, eyeing Mokuba for help.

Mokuba ignored him, "We're gonna take everything to-go. And you should fire that guy."

"It will be strongly considered," the manager said, bobbing in a similar manner. He motioned for two other waitresses to gather their dishes and they floated away, leaving the table empty.

"That won't be necessary." Kaiba said, smirking evilly, "Everyone deserves a second chance. We'll come back, maybe he'll improve."

Mokuba couldn't believe his ears, _Seto was refusing to fire someone incompetent? And this was someone who spilled wine all over him less than a minute ago! And what's more, they were coming back to this horrible place?!_

Mokuba forced a laugh and grabbed the back of his neck nervously, addressing the manager, "I'm sorry, my big brother isn't feeling well today, you'll have to excuse him."

The manager was blinking wildly and nodding, "Yes, you have been an honor, we have had a great pleasure of hosting you here today, Mr. Kaiba." he said, stumbling over his words as the waitresses left three boxes of food on the table. Mokuba stood up quickly and grabbed the boxes, eager to leave, "Where do we pay?" he demanded.

"No, it's on us." the manager said, bowing his head slightly, "It is..our-"

Mokuba wasn't listening. He grabbed Seto's hand and pulled him out of his seat, "Yea yea, thanks mister, we're leaving now."

Mokuba felt Seto stand and squeeze his hand reassuringly. They exited the restaurant peacefully and quickly made it to their limo. Mokuba let go of Seto's hand, yanking the car door open, balancing the boxes of food on one arm, looking up at Seto strangely.

"Are you okay big brother?" he asked, frowning up at him,

Kaiba patted his head gently and pushed him in towards the car first, taking the boxes of food from him. Mokuba let him, feeling the heat and weight from the food leave his arm.

"Get in Mokuba, we can play a video game together when we get back home." Kaiba said, smiling softly at him.

Mokuba felt his chest constrict and he climbed quickly into the backseat of the limo, "Okay!" he called, watching as Seto ducked his tall frame into the seat next to him while shutting the door firmly.

The driver turned the key in the ignition and they sped off towards their home.

* * *

**Author's note:**

HUGE shout out + _thank you_ to my newfound senpai and editor **Seket!** Together, we are an unstoppable prideshipping force! Please look forward to more quality work in our future!

Your reviews & reading support means the world to us,  
-Ugli-  
#endme #LeaveaReviewplease


	10. and this unplanned, careless lie

Kaiba sat down wearily at his desk after tucking Mokuba into bed. Sinking into his chair, he felt exhaustion settle heavily on his shoulders. He ran a hand through his hair, lifting it up off his forehead, and suddenly, Yami's astonished expression flashed through his mind.

Frowning, Kaiba quickly opened his desk drawer and pulled out Hiro's phone, remembering the missed call from Yami. Kaiba was about to hit redial before pausing and realizing that his voice alone might give him away.

Yami would definitely be able to recognize his voice over the phone.

 _Shit!_ Kaiba cursed angrily, bringing a fist down loudly against his desk, feeling the shock of pain travel up his arm. He stared at the phone for a moment before throwing caution to the wind and hitting re-dial.

The phone rang once, twice...Kaiba felt himself begin to sweat with anticipation. After the eighth ring, the dial tone rang in his ear and an automated female voice floated coolly through the receiver, "This caller's voice mailbox has not been set up yet..."

 _Typical,_ Kaiba growled to himself, remembering Yami's hesitation when he gifted him with the phone. Sighing, Kaiba stood and headed over to his closet. He opened the door and stared at the box of purchases he had yet to unpack. Kaiba started hanging the articles of clothing one by one, inspecting them closely, brushing his hand over the fabrics and enjoying how comfortable they felt.

Kaiba came across the black top with the gold embroidered collar and matching cuffs, which he had purchased with the intent of gifting it to Yami. Kaiba's frown deepened. This was going to be difficult. Kaiba set it aside, laying it out on his king-sized bed, studying it.

Suddenly, his phone rang shrilly, the vibration cut loudly through the room and it buzzed along his desk. Kaiba rushed towards the sound, afraid it would wake Mokuba. He lunged at his desk, his hand curling around the buttons on the side, quickly silencing it.

Kaiba froze, which phone did he just silence?!

He slowly lifted his palm up, dreading his discovery. He had just prematurely rejected a call from Yami. Kaiba mentally slapped himself _,_ feeling an oncoming headache.

 _Oh...Fuck!_ he gritted his teeth, pissed. He cursed himself for being an idiot and stormed back over to his closet, staring angrily his clothes, wondering if his actions would result in some unforeseen consequences. Trying not to think about it, Kaiba shook the hair out of his eyes and resumed hanging his purchases in his closet.

* * *

Yami opened his eyes slowly as a light buzzing woke him from his nap. Everything was dark except for a faint glow coming in through the window. Silver moonlight cast a wavering shadow through the leaves of the tree outside his window and Yami realized he had fallen asleep. Stretching slightly, Yami palmed his face, touching the corners of his eyes gingerly, feeling their puffiness. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and fished out his phone, wondering what was causing all the buzzing.

To his pleasant surprise, it was a missed call from Hiro! The notification glowed brightly at him in the darkness and Yami quickly slid his finger across the screen excitedly redialing the number. Holding the phone up to his ear and eagerly waited to hear Hiro's gentle voice in his ear.

It rang once, twice, and then a long pause. Yami held his breath, preparing to speak just as an automated message picked up, stating the user had not set up a voicemail box yet.

Was his call just cut off at the second ring?

Frowning slightly, he lowered the phone back down onto his lap.

Anzu's words still weighed heavily on his shoulders and Yami felt as though his mind was covered with a dark veil; he couldn't think clearly.

Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, Yami stood up and exited the room quickly, his stomach growling.

Anzu and Yugi were sitting on the couch watching a show while Joey sat on the table in front of them, shuffling through his duel monsters deck, muttering to himself nonstop.

Yugi heard Yami's footsteps coming down the stairs and he looked up from the TV, smiling gently at his twin. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Yugi asked, trying to keep the guilt out of his voice.

Yami's eyes traveled around the room, taking note of everyone and then nodded at Yugi, "I'm fine Aibou, thank you for asking. I wish to speak with Anzu."

Anzu blinked and nodded, standing slowly, "Let's talk outside."

Yami's eyes followed her silently as Anzu made her way out through the hallway and into the shop. The door slammed loudly and Yugi looked up at Yami through his spiky blonde bangs, "Yami, if at any point you don't feel comfortable...just let me know."

Yami barely nodded and exited the living room, passing through the hallway and into the shop. Tapping his shoes on, he saw Anzu's silhouette standing apprehensively outside the door of the Kame Game Shop. Yami felt strangely heavy as he walked through the store and stepped through the doorway, joining Anzu on the other side, feeling the rush of the cold night air sting his ears.

Anzu had her arms folded, leaning against the wall by the door, her eyes fixed on the street where several cars were stopped at a light.

Yami followed her gaze and they stood together in silence for a long moment, listening to the sounds of traffic pass by. Watching a group of businessmen cross the street, all holding identical briefcases, Anzu finally spoke up first, her voice barely audible over the sound of the wind whistling, "Yami, I'd like to apologize for being so harsh."

"It's really fine." Yami commented, absently rubbing the edges of his phone in his pocket. "I have given my situation some thought and I appreciate your concern."

Anzu nodded, still gazing out towards the street, "If you're really sure about him, I'll leave it alone. Yugi was right, it's none of my business. This is between you and Hiro."

Yami paused, hesitating, but decided to ask anyway, "Actually Anzu, perhaps your perspective could help shed some light on what I've been experiencing."

Anzu turned to face him for the first time, her eyes shining, "Yes, ...Yes! I'm here for you, Yami, please don't ever forget that! Go ahead, I'm listening."

Yami smiled appreciatively at her and contemplated where to start. He gazed up at the sky that was slowly starting to become spotted with stars, and decided to start with the truth.

"I honestly feel like I've known him for a long time," Yami began, "Everything about him feels familiar, his physical presence, his mannerisms..." Yami's voice trailed off lightly and Anzu nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"I'm not sure," Yami said lamely, shrugging, "I know I'm being ridiculous, but every now and then, he reminds me of Kaiba."

Anzu's eyes widened considerably when she heard this, "Go on..." she said, her breath catching in her throat.

"I'm being foolish." Yami said quickly, his gaze still fixed upwards at the sky, his face reddening slightly.

"No, no you're not!" Anzu cried, "Tell me some details, like, how does he remind you of Kaiba?"

Yami blinked, his mind still cloudy from his nap, "It's only the rare occasion, but sometimes he folds his hands together in front of his face, the same way Kaiba does. I am aware that many people may share the same mannerisms, but this.." Yami sighed, "It's all in my head. I am most certain."

Anzu nodded silently, quietly observing Yami, patiently waiting for him to continue speaking.

"Hiro is too kind and warmhearted to be anything like Kaiba." Yami concluded simply. "Any similarities he may share with Kaiba are merely coincidences and my mind is drawing those irrational conclusions based on what I've seen."

"I see," Anzu said simply, nodding. "Well Yami, if you experience anything else suspicious, we can figure it to together. You're not alone in this. Yugi and I, we're both here for you."

Yami said nothing, continuing to stare up into the sky which was completely dark now. The stars stood out brightly, a few wispy grey clouds floated by. _What would be considered suspicious behavior?_ Yami mused, _Perhaps I ought to have put more thought into this before coming forward to Anzu._

Yami glanced over quickly at her, "Thank you Anzu, you were right to be worried. The way I'm behaving," Yami shook his head, "I'm scaring myself."

Anzu softened and smiled gently at Yami, "Love makes us do scary things."

Yami laughed softly and gestured towards the door, "We've been out here for a while, let's not worry the others."

Anzu nodded, allowing Yami to hold the door open for her, and they stepped quietly in the game shop, quickly heading back into the living room where Yugi and Joey were waiting.

* * *

Kaiba finished hanging all of his new purchases and stepped back to admire his handiwork. Glancing at his watch, Kaiba decided he could squeeze in a bit of work before turning in for the night. He sat down at his desk and flipped open his laptop, wondering how much he had missed throughout the week, the blue glow burning into his eyes as he pulled up his calendar.

His eyelids grew heavy almost immediately and Kaiba reached for his personal phone, texting Isono to put a pot of coffee on to boil. He placed both phones next to him and got down to work, his fingers flitting expertly over his keyboard.

Kaiba would occasionally glance at the phones, thinking he had seen one of their screens light up with a message, but both phones remained silent. There was a soft knock at the door and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted into the room. Isono pushed the door open slightly and walked in carrying a tray organized neatly with a cup of light cream and a steaming pot of coffee. "Mr. Kaiba, I have brewed a pot of coffee for you, shall I leave this on your desk?"

Kaiba nodded at him in thanks, not looking up from his laptop, his fingers flying diligently across the keyboard. Isono bowed and retreated out of the room, easing the door halfway shut. Kaiba stared intently at the screen, clicking across spreadsheets and reports, not really seeing any of it.

He poured himself a cup and leaned back into his seat, sipping the coffee slowly. Kaiba glanced at the clock and was slightly shocked at how fast time had flown by; it was 3AM. It suddenly hit him that he was doing a week's worth of work in one night.

Leaning forwards once again and setting the cup down, he resumed his position and continued typing. Several hours passed by swiftly, unnoticed.

Kaiba's company phone buzzed lightly. He ignored it.

The phone buzzed again and Kaiba twitched, annoyed. He glanced over at the screen, his hands hovering above the keyboard, still typing out his last thoughts, and he read the preview of a text from Isono, "Mr. Yugi is at the door, should I let..."

Kaiba felt his head swim and he quickly snatched his phone up, almost knocking over his coffee. He opened the text, reading it over twice. "Mr. Yugi is at the door, should I let him in?"

 _What the hell?_ Kaiba thought dazedly, _What does Yugi want from me at 3 in the fucking morning?_

Kaiba snapped out of it and quickly replied to the text, "Yes, let him in." Glancing around his desk frantically, Kaiba shoved Hiro's phone back into his drawer, making sure to turn it off completely. The last thing he wanted was for Yami to call or text him while Yugi was in the room.

He rushed into the bathroom and splashed cold water onto his face, the feeling shocked him fully awake. Kaiba was prepared; he was ready for whatever bullshit Yugi was here to throw at him. Carefully patting his face dry with a towel, Kaiba strode back over to his desk and sat down, staring resolutely at the screen, the text sliding off to the side as his vision blurred. God was he tired.

Kaiba glanced up at the door in anticipation, realizing it was half open. He lowered his gaze again, listening as the footsteps grew louder as Yugi got closer.

There was a soft knock at the door and Kaiba paused, staring at the spiky-haired shadow flooding in through the crack, he could see the tips of his studded boots at the edge of the doorway.

"What do you want Yugi?" Kaiba said tensely, staring at his own fingers suspended hesitantly above his keyboard. There was a long pause and the shadow remained motionless in his peripheral vision.

"Oh just come in," Kaiba snapped, "And close the door behind you."

The shadow moved forwards and Kaiba raised his head up to stare at the figure in the doorway.

His breath hitched in this throat when he realized it was Yami.

"I'm...not Yugi." Yami said awkwardly in his usual deep tones, still standing cautiously in the doorway.

 _Definitely not Yugi_ , Kaiba repeated mentally, deeply shocked, unable to think or breathe. He was frozen in his seat and Kaiba forced himself to blink and nod, dimly aware that his chest hurt from the lack of oxygen. Tearing his eyes away from Yami, Kaiba glanced back down at his screen, calculating his next move.

 _Stand, be polite,_ Kaiba breathed to himself, _If Hiro is who he prefers, then my fucking competition...is myself, dammit._

Kaiba stood smoothly and quickly hit save, clicking the lid of his laptop shut. He made his way over to Yami and pulled the door open wider, attempting a gentle smile. "Come in." Kaiba said, moving to the side, allowing Yami to step in past him.

Yami's heart raced as Kaiba let him in. The light scent of coffee drifted around Yami as the door swung closed behind them. Kaiba strode past Yami and stood by his desk, feeling himself sweat nervously.

Yami's eyes darted around the room, landing on the large pot of coffee resting on a tray next to Kaiba's laptop. Kaiba seemed to be busy... he was definitely intruding again. "I'm bothering you." Yami said slowly, his gaze fixed on the half-empty pot of coffee.

Kaiba folded his arms and spoke truthfully, "You're welcome here anytime."

Yami felt his chest tighten strangely, and he didn't say anything. They stood awkwardly together in the room, occasionally glancing at one another. The silence stretched painfully, neither of them speaking.

Finally, Kaiba couldn't take it anymore, deciding to ask the question that was burning at the tip of his tongue, "What are you doing here? Does Yugi know you're here?"

Yami looked pained and he glanced nervously off to the side, "No one knows I come here."

 _He didn't answer my first question_ , Kaiba fumed, rephrasing it, "What can I do for you?"

Yami crossed his arms nervously, "I couldn't sleep," and he shuffled his feet anxiously, "So I went out for a walk and ended up here.." his voice lowering to a mumble.

"Yeah that's not what I asked you." Kaiba said irritably, "Tell me why you're here."

Yami didn't answer, he was lost in thought, his eyes flitting around the room landing on a beautiful dark colored shirt draped over the edge of Kaiba's bed. It looked expensive, with black pearl buttons and subtle gold embroidery lining the collar and cuffs. Yami felt his breath catch in his throat, he couldn't see the shirt clearly in the dark, but he knew it definitely wasn't something Kaiba would wear. It looked way too small...

 _It's for his...girlfriend!_ Yami realized, a solid rock of anxiety readily forming in his stomach when he remembered Mokuba's bright smile as he mentioned Kaiba's "new girlfriend".

Kaiba frowned, still waiting for Yami to answer, following his gaze to the shirt laying on his bed.

 _Perfect_ , Kaiba thought slyly, and he spoke up, "Yami, you know I hate repeating myself. What are you doing here?"

Yami jumped slightly at the sound of Kaiba's voice. Dragging his gaze away from the shirt, he straightened himself up, trying to appear taller, "I came to ask you a question."  
_Perhaps he won't answer,_ Yami thought, his stomach turning uncomfortably, _He will dismiss me as usual, saying it's none of my business._

Kaiba felt a laugh bubble up in his chest, "Okay, ask away." He tilted his head at Yami, intrigued.

Yami appeared to struggle with himself for a moment, the moonlight from the window cast a soft glow across his blonde bangs and Kaiba folded his arms across his chest to prevent himself from reaching out and touching Yami.

"Well?" Kaiba prodded. He was getting impatient.

Yami took a deep breath and spoke, "Your girlfriend...is she pretty?"

Kaiba was caught off guard and he stared at Yami. "What."

 _She is!_ Yami thought distressingly, _That reaction proves it!_

Kaiba lowered his arms and stepped closer towards Yami, his voice barely above a whisper, "Where the hell did you get that from?"

Yami felt panic rising in his throat, choking him, "I-I ..heard... from Mokuba."

Kaiba forced himself to remain calm as the situation was becoming less and less amusing. If Mokuba said "girlfriend" that meant he didn't really know anything.

"Mokuba doesn't know anything." Kaiba scoffed, watching Yami's expression as carefully as he could in the dark.

Yami lowered his head, regretting mentioning Mokuba, "Well, that's why I'm asking you."

 _Wow, fuck this_. Kaiba thought angrily. _Yami thinks I have a girlfriend? Fine, let him, if he'll feel anything towards me, even if it's jealousy, I'll take it._

Kaiba raised his head up haughtily and looked directly at Yami, "Yes. She is pretty."

 _I suppose you are pretty, for a man_. Kaiba reflected privately, watching Yami blink his large eyes at him.

Yami felt his heart drop to his feet and his head swam unpleasantly as he heard Kaiba's response. "I see." he said blinking slowly, his gaze fixed on Kaiba's shoulder, but then he felt himself begin to grow angrier and angrier as he remembered their previous conversation from the night before. _He offered me a chance, didn't he?_ Yami fumed, and he decided to confront Kaiba about this directly.

"Kaiba," Yami said darkly, glowering at him, "Does your offer still stand?"

Kaiba tensed as he struggled to remember. _What offer?...Oh,_ Kaiba recalled their conversation over the parfait, where he was humiliated when Yami insisted Hiro was "better" than he was.

"What, are you suddenly changing your mind now?" Kaiba spat, his temper rising.

"No." Yami replied indignantly, "I'm just appalled you would do this to your girlfriend. But I suppose you are the type of person to throw away someone's feelings."

 _Oh look at you preaching about feelings when you're stepping all over mine,_ Kaiba fumed.

Kaiba gritted his teeth and barely managed to get his words out, "You ought to be flattered, Yami, that I would drop my so-called girlfriend for you in a second."

Yami could not believe his ears, "She's your " _so-called"_ girlfriend now?"

 _What would become of me if Kaiba suddenly decided he was no longer interested?_ Yami thought, feeling lightheaded, _Perhaps the type of man Anzu was describing_ is _Kaiba!_

Kaiba was reeling with resentment and rage. He could feel a massive headache coming on and he couldn't take it anymore, "She doesn't exist." Kaiba growled, curling his fists and hiding them behind his thighs, "Like I said, Mokuba doesn't know anything."

Yami raised his head and met Kaiba's glare for the first time since he had entered the room. Kaiba looked furious as usual, his piercing gaze ran daggers through Yami as he tried to return the look with the same amount of animosity.

"If she doesn't exist," Yami struggled to find the right words as Kaiba stared unblinkingly into his eyes, his face heating up, "Then... what is that shirt doing on your bed?"

 _And now we're back to the fucking shirt,_ Kaiba thought maliciously, _I'll take it he does like it, otherwise he wouldn't be fixated on it._

Smirking, Kaiba crossed his arms and turned to lean the small of his back against the edge of his desk, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes, tell me," Yami insisted, unaware that he was raising his voice, "I would like to know."

Kaiba shrugged nonchalantly, walking swiftly over to the bed and pulled the shirt towards him. Hastily yanking it off it's hanger, he draped it over his arm and made his way back towards Yami, who was watching his every move like a hawk.

Kaiba's smirk turned into a smile as he pinched the shirt up at the shoulders, holding it up for Yami's inspection, "Do you like it?" Kaiba asked softly, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as he watched Yami's eyes widen and he swore he saw Yami's pupils dilate slightly.

A wave of uncertainty washed over Yami, fogging his mind. _Was this...another gift?!_ Yami's gaze was fixed on the delicate gold embroidery which shone invitingly back at him in the moonlight. It was stunning; the material looked like silk...Yami instinctively reached a hand out to touch the fabric before he could stop himself.

Kaiba's smile widened gleefully and he pulled the shirt up out of Yami's reach. "It's yours, on one condition."

Yami's breath hitched in his throat painfully as he withdrew his hand, curling it into a fist. Of course, Kaiba would require something in return.

"Not interested." Yami said roughly, forcing himself to turn around, facing the door. It looked so far away, even thought it was only a few steps across the room.

"You should hear my offer first, before declining." Kaiba sniffed, "Just put it on. The least you could do is let me know that it fits."

Yami turned back around slowly to face Kaiba, feeling conflicted, "...That's all?"

Kaiba nodded, lowering the shirt back into Yami's reach, "Go ahead, I'll wait."

Yami's face reddened instantly, "You want me to put it on now?!"

"Yes." Kaiba grinned widely, his teeth flashing in the moonlight. "There's no need to be shy, we're both men. Nothing I haven't seen before." Kaiba swallowed at this lie, recalling the image of Yami lying shirtless on the bed in his apartment with his erection jutting out from underneath his underwear through the fly of his tight leather pants.

Yami stood very still. He could feel that something was off, but he wasn't sure what it was exactly. Was this a trap? A trick? The silk shirt fluttered lightly in the wind coming through the window behind Kaiba, it's buttons gleamed brightly, as if taunting him.

"Fine." Yami agreed hastily, reaching for the shirt with one hand and simultaneously pulling off his blue blazer with the other. Kaiba's grin turned into a triumphant leer as he watched Yami shrug his blazer off casually.

The wind caused goosebumps to run up Yami's arms as he stood in his sleeveless undershirt. He reached for the shirt, but just as his fingers brushed across the silk, Kaiba yanked it out of his grasp once again.

Yami was getting pissed, "Honestly, Kaiba you-"

"You can't see how it fits with something underneath," Kaiba sneered arrogantly, feeling his heart beating loudly with anticipation.

Yami clenched his fists once again and glared at Kaiba, feeling his temper rise. _This bastard..._

"Fine." Yami growled through clenched teeth, "If you insist."

Yami was too angry to care anymore, and he reached down quickly peeling his undershirt upwards and over his head. He let it slide down his arms and the shirt fell softly to the floor. Yami felt the warmth leave his body and he shivered slightly in the cold as he stood shirtless in the middle of Kaiba's office.

Kaiba held his breath and his eyes widened lustfully as he saw Yami's nipples perk up from the cold. Kaiba tossed the hair out of his eyes and held the shirt out to Yami, nodding slightly.

Scowling, Yami snatched the shirt from Kaiba's grasp and quickly slid his arm through one of the sleeves. Yami felt the cool softness of the silk brush over his skin and immense satisfaction surged up from within as he reveled in the luxurious texture of the fabric.

Kaiba lowered his head and watched Yami button the shirt over his bare abdomen, unable to take his eyes off of Yami's bare skin, which was quickly disappearing with every button. Kaiba's eyes traveled up Yami's slender form. Yami's face was hidden mostly by the his large spiky bangs, but Kaiba could make out a tiny smirk tugging at the corners of Yami's lips.

Kaiba quickly stepped forwards and instinctively reached to brush the hair out of Yami's face. Yami jerked his head back suddenly as Kaiba's knuckles brushed across his forehead and into his hair.

"Glad you like it." Kaiba said simply, trailing his fingertips through Yami's bangs, resisting the urge to snake his hands around Yami's head to pull him into an embrace. _Well this would be so much easier if I was Hiro, now wouldn't it,_ Kaiba thought spitefully. _He'd probably kiss me without a second thought._

Yami reached up to swat Kaiba's hand away from his face, annoyed, "Stop that." he said irritably. Kaiba stared fixedly down into Yami's half-buttoned shirt, enjoying the view. His pulse racing, Kaiba reached his other hand up to adjust Yami's collar, brushing his thumb over the fabric, running the curves of the embroidery through this fingers.

Kaiba froze as he realized his manicure looked like a terrible mess, all chipped and cracked around the tops and edges. Terrified, Kaiba quickly withdrew his hand, realizing Yami would notice this.

Turning his head aside, Yami tried to look down but Kaiba had rapidly withdrew his hand and clasped them behind his back.

 _Strange,_ Yami mused, but paid no mind and continued buttoning up the shirt.

Kaiba quickly turned and paced towards the window, putting distance between them.

 _Shit, shit!_ Kaiba cursed, and he berated himself for his carelessness, keeping his arms carefully down at his sides. He turned to face Yami, who was carefully adjusting the shirt across his shoulders.

Kaiba nodded, satisfied, noting that Yami had left the top two buttons undone, exposing his slender collarbones. The shirt fell nicely around Yami's slender frame and the thin gold embroidery complimented his skin tone nicely. Kaiba held his breath; Yami looked absolutely princely.

"Well," Yami said, slowly turning his arm over and inspecting the cuff carefully, enjoying the moonlight reflecting off the golden threads, "It fits." He raised his head and met Kaiba's gaze. "Thank you, I suppose." Yami added, picking his undershirt and blazer up off the floor.

Kaiba curled his fingers and hid them in the palms of his hands, nodding stiffly, "You should probably go home before someone notices you're gone."

"Right." Yami said, giving him a strange look. He tucked his blazer and undershirt neatly under his arm and headed for the door.

Kaiba watched Yami's back as he turned to leave, his nails digging painfully into his palm. Yami threw him a cryptic look over his shoulder before closing the door behind him softly.

Kaiba waited for Yami's footsteps to disappear in the distance as he stared at the door with disdain.

 _Unbelievable_ , Kaiba thought bitterly as he sat down at his desk, sliding a glass nail file from his desk drawer. He slid the file underneath his index finger, smoothing over the edges carefully, feeling the file rub roughly underneath his fingertips. He did the same for the other four fingers on his left hand, focusing intently on repairing his nails, trying not to think about his cold exchanges with Yami.

Sighing, Kaiba stood and walked into the bathroom, not bothering to turn on the lights. He turned on the tap, soaking his fingers under the water, and once he was done, pulled out a tiny bottle of rubbing alcohol from the cabinet above him. His fingers brushed across the three bottles of hair dye he had left, which sat innocently on the top shelf.

Kaiba leaned back and stared at them. _Three bottles...at the rate I'm using it, that's about eight weeks worth of dye._ Kaiba gripped the marble edge of the sink and he leaned towards his dark reflection in the mirror. _Two months._

Kaiba drew in a shaking breath. _This can't go on. Hiro isn't real. I can't hide behind this identity any longer._

He grabbed the bottle of rubbing alcohol and strode back to his desk. Slamming the alcohol down, Kaiba yanked the drawer open and pulled out Hiro's phone. He switched in on and saw saw a missed call from the bakery's manager, including two text notifications, one from Yami and the other from Jason.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba read the message, "Hiro, it's Jason. We're up bright and early tomorrow! See you then, let yourself in through the back, I'll keep it unlocked for you... don't be late!"

Swiftly deleting the message, Kaiba swiped across the screen to read the text from Yami, which according to the time stamp, was sent five minutes ago.

"Will I see you tomorrow?"

Kaiba glanced at the clock and realized it was almost 5AM...he had to head to the bakery soon.

Kaiba hesitated, and then replied quickly, his nails tapping across the screen. "Yes I'll be at the bakery," pausing, Kaiba added, "Something wonderful has happened, I'll tell you tomorrow!"

Placing the phone carefully back down on his desk Kaiba racked his brain, trying to come up with a suitable lie he could tell Yami tomorrow. Deep in thought, Kaiba soaked the tips of his fingers in the alcohol as he evaluated his options.

* * *

Yami laid wide awake in bed and he watched the ceiling steadily grow brighter as the sun rose, flooding the room with light. He turned over and stared at the black shirt draped over the back of his desk chair, the dark pearl buttons glowed at him from a distance.

 _Another gift from Kaiba_ , Yami thought darkly tearing his gaze away from the gold embroidery. _I really can't understand him sometimes._

Yami glanced over at Yugi who was rolled up underneath the covers and his phone buzzed lightly beside his pillow. Yami's heart raced as he checked Hiro's response.

 _Oh he'll be at the bakery early, I suppose if I head out now, I can catch him before he goes in._ Yami threw his legs over the edge of the bed and resolved to get up. Sleep was just going to be a waste of time. He'd rather be out with Hiro as much as possible anyway. He quickly grabbed his bag and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Kaiba gently squeezed a large drop of black goop into the palm of his hand, wincing as the cold liquid touched his skin. He leaned his head down into the sink and ran the product through his hair methodically. Pulling his hands away from his hair, he stared at the watery black mess coating his fingers, propping his elbows up against the edges of the sink.

 _Is this all it takes?_ Kaiba thought bitterly to himself, _A few drops of this and some contacts for Yami to lower his guard whenever he's around me?_

Kaiba felt terrible as he sighed and rinsed his hands, watching the black dye trail off his fingers and down the drain. He stepped into the shower and stood pensively underneath the rush of water, blinking the drops of water off of his eyelashes. A light headache was coming on and Kaiba rubbed his temples gently, realizing that Yami's nightly visits were severely interfering with his sleep schedule.

He shut the water off and stepped out of the shower. Kaiba reached up into the cabinet. He grabbed the slim bottle of cologne and spritzed himself twice around the neck, attempting to mask the heavy smell of coffee which undoubtedly clung to him persistently. He carefully set the glass bottle back up on the highest shelf and grabbed a towel, drying his hair vigorously. Kaiba looked into the mirror, slowly turning his head left and right, checking for any exposed brown roots. He found none. Satisfied, Kaiba leaned back and glared at his reflection, his blue eyes glowered eerily back at him and he looked away quickly, rummaging around for a pack of brown contacts.

His fingers closed around the small package and he tore the aluminum foil back aggressively, almost spilling the fluid inside. Kaiba cursed and dipped his finger in, holding the contact up to the light, he deftly placed it into his eye and leaned his head back, feeling the contact settle comfortably. Blinking astutely, Kaiba dipped his finger down into the container again, picking up the other contact. He lifted his eyelid gently and tapped the contact into his other eye. He watched the brown rim bubble around his blue corneas before hugging the curve of his eye naturally. Kaiba blinked again, watching and waiting for the contacts to move. Thankfully they stayed in place and he leaned away from his reflection, scrutinizing himself in the mirror.

 _I guess I'll push my hair up again_ , Kaiba resolved, briefly recalling how he managed to captivate Yami's attention so easily, and he smiled to himself. He exited the bathroom and slid the closet doors open. He carelessly threw on a black collared shirt and stepped into pair of light grey jeans. Kaiba instinctively reached for a belt but then withdrew his hand as he realized all of his belts were embellished with his initials. Cursing himself for his vanity, Kaiba reached into his leather bag and grabbed the jar of hair wax. He walked back into the bathroom quickly and positioned himself in front of the mirror again.

Taking a deep breath, he swept his fingertips over the product and rubbed his hands together tentatively, feeling the wax grow tacky and sticky against his skin.

Kaiba swiftly brushed his hands upwards through his hair, pulling it up high, exposing his forehead, making sure to carefully twist the ends of his hair across his ears. He ran his palms down the back of his hair, smoothing down the ends neatly. Content with his overall appearance, Kaiba stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed both his phones off his desk.

He heard a soft knock at the door and Mokuba's voice drifted in groggily, "Se..to..?"

Kaiba strode over to the door and pulled it open.

Mokuba, who was leaning against the doorway, stumbled in sleepily, and Seto caught him.

"Whoa, careful kiddo." Kaiba said softly, sweeping Mokuba up in his arms and carrying him over towards his king-sized bed.

Mokuba threw his arms around Seto's neck and pressed his face into Seto's shoulder, rubbing his cheek into the softness of his brother's shirt. Mokuba cracked his eyes open drowsily as a light, fresh scent enveloped him comfortably.

"Are you wearing cologne?" Mokuba asked blearily, leaning his head back to look up at his brother. He pried his eyes open as he was shocked awake when he noticed Seto had once again dyed his hair jet black, and what's more, his hair was pushed upwards stylishly with the tips twisted handsomely across his ears

Mokuba's mouth dropped open with surprise as Seto lowered him down onto the bed and he sat back up forcefully, struggling to keep his eyes open but unable to stop staring.

Kaiba smiled gently down at Mokuba and pulled the comforter out from underneath him, "Get some sleep, I'll be back later today."

Mokuba gaped. Seto looked so incredibly kind when he smiled, so much so that he didn't even look like the same person anymore. _Was this...Hiro?_ Mokuba swallowed and tried to find his voice, "Seto..? Are you...a-are you.." He couldn't finish his question. He was beginning to see why Yami preferred Hiro over Seto.

"Yeah I'm leaving, but I'll be back soon, okay?" Kaiba said gently, realizing this was only the second time Mokuba had seen him look like this. "Here, go back to sleep." He tucked Mokuba's legs neatly underneath the comforter and headed for the door, remembering to grab his brown leather bag off of his desk.

Mokuba gripped the sheets tightly as he stared at Seto's silhouette framed in the doorway. Seto looked like a total stranger!

"When will you be back?!" Mokuba cried, trying to sit up again.

"I'll be back this afternoon, I've got a lot of work to do. If you finish all your homework, we'll go somewhere nice this weekend, how does that sound?" Kaiba said, reaching for the door handle.

"But...go-karting with Yugi!" Mokuba whined, rubbing his eyes heavily.

"We'll see about that." Kaiba said darkly and he swung the door shut quietly. He heard Mokuba shuffling around as he headed down the stairs towards the garage.

He got behind the seat of his car and started the engine. Feeling the car vibrate enthusiastically, Kaiba felt his spirits rise. He backed out of his driveway carefully and he sped off down the street towards the bakery.

Yami marveled at the silence around him as he walked through campus. He'd never been this early before. Most of the buildings were still dark with several stragglers dragging their feet across campus, looking drained.

Yami made his way to the edge of campus and sat down on the bench across the street from the bakery. There was a light inside and Yami could make out a tall male figure wiping the counter. Yami's heart began to race and he stood up quickly, crossing the street, not bothering to obey the walk sign.

He approached the tall glass doors excitedly, but his spirits fell when he realized the tall figure wasn't Hiro, but the other male who was always present. Yami was about to leave when the figure looked up and smiled widely at him.

Unnerved, Yami stayed where he was as the man jogged to the doors and unlocked them, the keys hitting against the glass loudly.

"Welcome, welcome, hi!" The man exclaimed brightly, flashing him a thousand watt smile. "Nice to finally meet you Yugi! I'm Jason, your boyfriend's boss."

Yami's eyes widened and his voice caught in his throat as he tried to process what he was hearing. _Yugi? ...Boyfriend?!_

"I see." Yami replied simply, staring at the man. He knew he was being rude but he couldn't manage any other expression.

"If you don't mind, I'd like you to sign something for my niece!" Jason said excitedly, propping the door open and rushing back around the counter to grab a pen and a slip of paper.

Outside, Kaiba had parked his car in the employee space behind the bakery. He closed his eyes momentarily, leaning his head forward on the wheel, feeling exhaustion settle uncomfortably around him. He stepped out wearily and slammed the car door, aiming to bake as quickly as possible so he could go home and catch up on some much needed sleep.

He could hear Jason's voice talking excitedly in the distance as he rounded the corner and Kaiba quickly walked up the alley towards the employee entrance. Yanking the door open, Kaiba strode through the kitchen and out to the front.

Kaiba felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Yami standing apprehensively in the doorway of the bakery. Jason was bent over rummaging for something underneath the counter.

 _What is he doing here so fucking early?!_ Kaiba fumed internally, _He didn't sleep?_

Yami saw Hiro step out from the back and his face lit up.

 _His hair is up again!_ Yami thought happily and he waved lightly as he felt his pulse quicken.

Kaiba automatically raised his hand up to return the wave halfheartedly. Jason looked up and squinted at him, "Oh hey you! Nice hair!" he commented, his eyes quickly sweeping over Kaiba's head. "I was just about to..aha found it!" Jason cried as he pulled out a pad and pen.

Kaiba stared at the pad of paper and then up at Yami's sullen expression, and his eyes widened when he realized what was happening. He rushed to block Jason's path and loomed threateningly over his manager, trying not to glare.

Jason's smile faltered as Hiro looked murderously down at him from his height. "H-Hey buddy, I'm just asking for his autograph!" Jason said, holding his hands up defensively. He nimbly ducked around Hiro's tall form and waved the pad of paper at Yami. "Please sign this Yugi! My niece will absolutely love me for this!"

Yami stood rooted to the spot as Jason rushed towards him waving the paper, his heart thumping nervously. He opened his mouth to speak but fell silent as Hiro stepped in front of him, blocking Jason from his view. The friendly scent from Hiro's cologne washed over Yami reassuringly as Hiro stood resolutely between him and the manager.

Yami felt a rush of satisfaction as Hiro stepped in to speak for him.

"He's not signing anything." Kaiba said, attempting to keep his voice even, "He's not Yugi."

Yami stared intently at the folds of Hiro's shirt as he heard the manager stutter slightly, "H-Hiro, dude, my man, come on. I thought I told you-"

"No I told _you_ , but you didn't believe me." Kaiba said, cutting across his manager rudely, "If you want Yugi's autograph, he and his friends will be stopping by for our grand opening. Isn't that right?" Kaiba almost spat as he turned around to face Yami.

"Yes..!" Yami said startled, blinking slowly. He couldn't tell if Hiro was angry or not. Yami could see the manager peeking out curiously from behind Hiro.

"He's...but he's.." Jason sputtered, clutching the pad and paper anxiously.

"Look," Kaiba said roughly, stepping aside and standing beside Yami, "Look closely. Look at his eyes, look at the shape of his face. This is Yami."

Jason's eyes darted frantically around Yami's face and Yami felt himself heat up with embarrassment.

 _Amazing_ , Yami thought secretly, peering up at Hiro through his blonde spiky bangs, _He can really tell us apart. It usually takes strangers up to a few months to recognize our slight physical differences._

"Right, right..I see." Jason repeated mindlessly, his eyes still roaming around Yami's face slowly. "Now that you mention it, I'd say ...Yugi looks friendlier even. No offense." he added, looking apologetically at Yami.

Yami could feel Hiro relax visibly and he smiled gently at Jason, "It's a common mistake."

There was an awkward silence as Jason glanced hesitantly between Hiro and Yami. Finally, he lowered his hand and stowed the pad away in his apron. "Well, I'm gonna get back to work. I'll let you two..." his voice trailed off as he hurried into the kitchen, and as an afterthought, Jason yelled over his shoulder, "Hiro, grab your apron, we're going to get busy!"

Kaiba nodded and he cautiously glanced over at Yami, who was smiling gently up at him. Kaiba felt a lump rise in his throat and he swallowed nervously, "I know you don't enjoy being mistaken for Yugi."

Yami rushed forwards suddenly and threw his arms around Hiro's slender waist, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Kaiba was caught off guard and almost stumbled backwards. He looked down at the spiky mess of hair that was pressed into his chest and felt a bubble of joy swell up inside him.

Yami pressed his nose into the soft cotton fabric of Hiro's shirt and he inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh scent of Hiro's cologne. He could hear Hiro's heart thumping loudly by his ear and Yami smiled to himself.

 _Hiro's feelings for me are genuine,_ he thought firmly, _he seems to know exactly how I feel and he won't hesitate to stand up for me!_

Kaiba paused, his hands hovered reluctantly at his sides until his emotions got the better of him. He pulled Yami flush against his body and wrapped a reassuring arm around Yami's shoulders, enjoying the warmth from Yami's cheek against his chest.

 _And here, he's touching me freely again_. Kaiba thought miserably as a pang of guilt seared through him. _Whereas less than two hours ago, he was glaring at me from halfway across the room._

They stayed that way for several long minutes before Yami gently relaxed his grip from around Hiro's waist.

"I'm glad," Yami said, laughing slightly, untangling himself from Hiro's embrace, "It does get really hard when I have to turn people down by telling them I'm not Yugi."

Kaiba nodded stiffly and glanced over Yami's shoulder at the students beginning to appear on campus slowly, one by one. "I'll walk you across the street." he said, motioning towards the stoplight.

Yami shook his head, his eyes twinkling beautifully at Kaiba in the morning sunlight, "I can manage. You have to go back in there." Yami said, pointing at the kitchen entrance.

Kaiba nodded again, unsure of what to say. He couldn't help but gaze deeply into Yami's eyes and Yami smiled back at him lovingly.

 _This is why every second I spend as Hiro matters._ Kaiba thought rigidly _, This is what I want. I want this kind of relationship with Yami, minus the bullshit. Why can't it be like this when he sees me as myself?_

Yami turned to leave and Kaiba instinctively reached a hand out to brush his knuckles across Yami's cheek, feeling Yami's blonde bangs fall lightly over the tops of his fingers.

Yami reached up to intertwine his fingers through the tops of Hiro's hand which was caressing his face gently.

Kaiba fought with himself for a moment before sliding his hand away, but Yami's grip tightened painfully. Kaiba felt like everything was moving in slow motion as he watched Yami reach his hand up to grab him by the collar, pulling him down into a gentle but deep kiss.

It felt wonderful; It was a welcomed change compared to Yami's behavior towards him last night. Kaiba snaked his other hand around Yami's head and pushing their lips together solidly. He boldly slid his tongue into Yami's mouth, tasting his sweet breath.

 _Oh shit, I can't do this right now_. Kaiba thought stiffly, but it was like Yami was magnetic. He pulled Yami closer still, the edge of Yami's belt bumped painfully into his crotch as he pressed himself harder against Yami.

Yami's grip loosened on Hiro's collar as he felt his knees grow weak. He slid his hand upwards to grip Hiro behind the neck, feeling the tips of his waxed hair graze the pads of his fingers. Yami sighed contentedly into the kiss; every sensation was new and delicious, everything about Hiro was hard to resist.

Jason peered out from behind the flaps of the kitchen door, wondering where his employee went and was met with the sight of Yami and Hiro, shamelessly attempting to climb into each other through their mouths. He set his teeth together firmly and walked out of the kitchen, setting a metal tray noisily down onto the counter.

A loud metallic clang rang out from behind them as Jason slammed the tray onto the marble and they jerked away from each other, blushing furiously.

Jason sniffed and rolled up his sleeves. Picking the tray back up from the counter, he silently disappeared through the kitchen door flaps once again.

"I-I'm going to go." Yami said, still red as a beet, looking away from Hiro quickly, knowing that eye contact was dangerous.

Kaiba brought a hand up to brush against his own cheek, , feeling how heated his skin was with the back of his hand, "Yes. And I'll..." his voice trailed off as they both turned around hastily and Yami hurried away, glancing over his shoulder, watching Hiro swing the glass door shut behind him before making his way into the kitchen.

Yami stood at the edge of the street, waiting for the light to turn green, feeling giddy and excited. He couldn't help but throw another glance behind himself, at the bakery, as he felt another strange rush of delight. _He really does like me,_ Yami reassured himself, _Anzu is wrong about him_.

The walk sign glowed at him and Yami quickly strode across the street, pulling his phone out to text Yugi about the bakery's manager wanting his autograph.

* * *

Kaiba tied the apron around his waist and ducked into the kitchen where Jason was busy mixing two large bowls of batter.

"What can I do for you today?" Kaiba asked calmly glancing around the spacious kitchen.

Jason ignored him and kept mixing vigorously, tapping the whisk heavily along the edge of the glass bowl. Kaiba stood there silently watching him unsure of how to react. The silence stretched on for several long moments as Jason poured the thick mixture out into a cake pan.

He scraped the bowl empty and set it down with a clank on the metal surface. He wiped his brow with the back of a gloved hand and threw Kaiba an exasperated look. "Okay, let's talk boundaries. You can kiss him anywhere you want, middle of the street, at the ends of the earth, you name it, you and..." he gestured at the door mutely, trying to recall Yami's name. "You and him. Just don't do in here, okay buddy?"

Kaiba lowered his head and nodded, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment once again, "I am really sorry."

Jason shook his head sighing, "You two...I get it. Now grab a whisk, we've got to set out some cakes by this afternoon and hang a sign!"

Kaiba blinked at him, "What sign?" he asked numbly.

"The, uh, grand opening sign?" Jason replied, sounding skeptical. "Man, its like you don't even work here. Understandable since I guess you're only here to suck face with your boyfriend."

Kaiba could hear the irritation in Jason's voice and he clenched his fists, aware that he was being lectured by the manager. He now understood he hadn't been given a task because Jason wanted to express his irritation towards his behavior.

Kaiba could appreciate the way Jason amicably handled the situation, but he honestly didn't have the goddamn patience for it. Sucking face with Yami was one of the perks, yes, but he came here to bake, dammit.

Jason spoke again after emptying out the second bowl into a large cake pan, "We open at 11, we've got six hours to get things rolling. My niece will come in around 10 to help out."

He slid the two pans of cake batter into the oven and set the timer, "Honestly, I thought I could get Yugi's autograph before she showed up, it would help motivate her to come in and help out a lot more, y'know?"

"She'll get Yugi's autograph." Kaiba said, trying to speak normally through his clenched teeth. "I'll even ask him myself if she misses the chance."

"I'll hold you to that," Jason said, giving him a stern look, "Now chop chop, recipes are over there," he pointed at a large stack of laminated paper, clipped together in a clear file. "Make as many as you can, the more the better. Do _NOT_ under bake. I'm not about to be sued for any kind of food poisoning here. I will check every single one of your batches to confirm and establish consistency."

Kaiba nodded curtly and made his way over to the stack of recipes, peeling the pages back one by one, he looked for overlapping ingredients in all of the cakes. He quickly pulled out a few that he liked and got to work, hurrying back and forth between the refrigerator and the counter.

The two men worked steadily, Kaiba focused solely on dishing out bowls of cake batter while Jason pushed them into the large ovens and watched them closely. It became a steady rhythm, as bowl after bowl filled with cake batter was emptied into cake pans of various shapes and sizes. All of the ovens in the kitchen were in use, and the temperature was rising in the room.

Before long, thirty thin slabs of cake sat cooling on the racks and Kaiba leaned back against the wall, carefully sipping a bottle of water, admiring his handiwork. The entire counter was lined with rows and rows of cakes, sitting innocently on their cooling racks. They gleamed at Kaiba in the bright kitchen lights and there was a pleasant smell of light vanilla in the air. Jason joined him along the wall, taking a large swig of water noisily.

Kaiba sipped his water again, he could feel Jason's gaze on him as he raised the bottle to his lips. He straightened up and their eyes met. "What?" Kaiba asked, trying not to sound defensive.

"Do you get your nails done?" Jason asked, looking at him curiously, "You've got some princess fingers going on over there."

Kaiba swallowed and lowered his hand down at his side, attempting to hide them. His other hand gripped the bottle of water so hard, the plastic crackled audibly.

Jason laughed loudly and waved his hand casually at Kaiba, "That was a compliment!"

Kaiba opened his mouth to retaliate but Jason hurried away towards the ovens as they began beeping loudly.

Kaiba looked away, willing himself to remain calm. _In an attempt to save myself from awkward questioning from Yami, here I am, being awkwardly complimented by the bakery's manager...what the fuck!_

His phone buzzed in his pocket and Kaiba pulled it out moodily, checking the message. His spirits lifted slightly when he saw it was from Yami.

"Lunch?" was all it said.

Kaiba tapped the phone against his chin thoughtfully. He was very tempted to grab lunch with Yami, but he had a mountain of work waiting for him back at the office. Jason beckoned for him to fill the piping bags with icing and Kaiba guiltily tapped out a response, "I'm sorry, I can't." and he shoved the phone back in his pocket, hurrying towards Jason to help decorate the cakes.

* * *

Yami was trying very hard not to doze off in his seat while the professor lectured slowly at the front. His head was throbbing painfully and he struggled to keep his eyes open.

 _Perhaps I should stop visiting Kaiba at in the evenings_ , Yami scolded himself lightly, _I should pay him a visit while the sun in still in the sky...I need to thank him properly for the shirt._

He propped his head up on his hands and stared blankly at the board, deep in thought. His phone buzzed in his pocket, startling him out of his daze. It was from Hiro!

"I'm sorry, I can't," he wrote.

 _Ah,_ Yami thought disappointed, _I suppose I will be paying Kaiba a visit this afternoon. Should I tell Hiro?_

Yami swiped his thumb hesitantly over his screen and scrolled absently through his messages. _I should ask Anzu.._.Yami resolved and he quickly tapped Anzu's name in his phone, typing hastily, "Anzu, I'm going to visit Kaiba this afternoon, should I tell Hiro about this?" and he sent it.

He waited a moment, watching as Anzu's response bubbled up onto the screen, "Of course you should tell Hiro! Aren't you guys technically dating? Why are you visiting Kaiba all of a sudden? Did something happen?"

Yami read the message over twice, immediately regretting mentioning any of this to her. His fingers hovered above the screen as he carefully responded, "How do I know if we are dating? I don't really know what that entails..." Yami sent that message and wrote a second one quickly underneath it, "Perhaps I won't visit Kaiba after all..."

There was a long pause and Yami's phone buzzed lightly with Anzu's reply, "You _ask_ if you guys are dating (if that matters to you). And be careful! Call me if you need anything!"

Yami sent her a quick reply thanking her and pulled up his messages with Hiro and nervously typed out a message. "Hiro, are we ..dating?"

Yami frowned at the phone, unsure if he was using the term properly. He sent it anyway and he tried to pay attention for the rest of the class.

* * *

Kaiba's phone buzzed again in his pocket just as he finished swirling the last drop of cream onto a medium-sized cake. He glanced at Jason who was leaning against the wall, scrolling absentmindedly through his phone. Kaiba set the piping bag down and reached into his pocket cautiously. It was another text from Yami. "Hiro, are we ...dating?"

Kaiba's heart jumped up into his throat as he read this message and he looked uncertainly around him, as if an answer would come to him out of thin air. _What the hell?!_ Kaiba fumed, _Where the fuck did this come from?_

Kaiba stared at the text for a long minute before carefully crafting a reply, "Honestly, I'm not sure. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"

He laid the phone down on the counter and pushed the cake off the decorating turntable and onto a gold leafed liner.

"Jason!" Kaiba called loudly, tilting his head down at the cake.

Jason lifted his head to look at the final result, nodding, impressed with Hiro's handiwork. "Nice, a few more of those, and we'll move onto cupcakes! It's almost time for us to open!"

Kaiba nodded and his attention strayed as his phone buzzed loudly on the counter.

Jason jerked his head up and narrowed his eyes at it. "Whatssat?"

Kaiba ducked his head down and tried to look apologetic, "A text from Yami. He..." Kaiba paused, wondering if he should even divulge such sensitive information to a virtual stranger. _Fuck it,_ Kaiba thought, _who the fuck else am I going to discuss this with anyway? Definitely not Mokuba._

"He just asked me if we were dating." Kaiba said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

Jason let out a barking laugh, "What?! Of course you guys are dating, look at you two, can't get enough of each other...are you two exclusive? Is that what he wants to know?"

"We..." Kaiba paused again, remembering Yami's nightly visits to him in his office.

 _Wow_ , Kaiba thought darkly, _If I wasn't Hiro, and I didn't' know about those visits, I'd be pretty pissed. Actually, I_ am _pissed._

Jason read the expression on Kaiba's face clearly and nodded, "Who's the other guy?"

"What?" Kaiba snapped, turning back to slide another cake onto the turntable. He pinched the decorating pipe viciously and tried to stop his hands from shaking. "Who said there was another guy?"

"Your face did." Jason said, taking a swig from his water bottle. "I mean, you can technically date as many people as you want, I'm not one to judge."

"That's not what he was asking." Kaiba said, growling, carefully dropping a swirl of cream onto the cake.

"Well check the message! He replied didn't he?" Jason said, genuinely interested, "I mean, I thought you guys were exclusive, given the way he looks at you."

Upon hearing this, Kaiba's hand tensed too quickly and a large drop of cream slid off the side of the cake and onto the aluminum table top. Cursing, he set the piping bag down and grabbed his phone, reading the message furiously.

"I'm sorry if that question was in poor taste." Yami had written, "A friend brought it up to me so I decided it was best to ask. I hope I didn't upset you... and I just wanted to let you know that I'll be stopping by Kaiba Corporation later this afternoon."

Kaiba stared and stared at the text until the words burned a green afterimage into his eyes. _So, this "friend" I'm assuming, is friendship-girl Anzu. And why is he visiting me later today?! Does he want to establish the fact that he's not dating Hiro, so that he can come solicit Seto Kaiba whenever he fucking wants?_

Jason peered around Hiro's arm and read the text from behind and whistled loudly, causing Kaiba to flinch and step back. "What." Kaiba said roughly, clicking his phone shut, resisting the urge to smash it into the half-decorated cake.

"Kaiba Corporation? I tell you, these famous kids, they all know each other one way or another." Jason said gravely, "Seto Kaiba? Man the stories I hear about him...is he the other guy in this? Damn, that's rough."

 _How perceptive_ , Kaiba bristled and he couldn't help but ask, "What have you heard?"

Jason's eyes widened at him, "Okay I'm a little worried about you buddy. You don't know the first thing about Yugi Mutou and now you're asking about the richest, most famous guy in this city? Do you actively avoid the news or something? How do you do it? Teach me."

Kaiba inadvertently clenched his fists as he re-worded his question, "I just want to know what you think about him."

"Oh." Jason said as he swirled his finger absently against the counter, "Honestly, I don't really care. I mean you hear things, 'he's an asshole' this, that. But if I ever met the guy, I'd probably shake his hand and get his autograph for my niece." He let out another barking laugh, "His autograph is probably worth something, that guy bleeds money."

Kaiba blinked at him and swallowed thickly, trying to keep his composure.

Jason sobered up and patted Kaiba gently on the shoulder, "I get it. I'm sorry for you pal. If your Yugi-twin is out there meeting up with Seto Kaiba...well," Jason sighed heavily, "Just ...hang in there. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help."

Kaiba's voice caught in his throat as he tried to speak, "Wait. You think, that there's something going on between Yami and..." He couldn't bring himself to say his own name.

Jason threw him a look of deep sympathy, "I know just as much as you do about this, so...I'm sorry. Seto Kaiba can probably easily get his hands on whoever he wants. That man has everything."

 _Wrong, wrong!_ Kaiba screamed internally, _If I had everything I wouldn't be standing here talking to you now, would I?!_

"I see." Kaiba managed, and his phone buzzed again. Jason's expression turned into one of pity and he gestured towards the door, "Hiro, you look like you need a break. Go take one, and tread carefully, alright?"

Kaiba felt Jason grab him strongly by the arm and steer him towards the back door, almost dragging him along. As the door opened, cool afternoon air rushed in around them.

Jason looked carefully into Hiro's scowling face, "Hey, this is just my advice. If this Yami of yours is involved with Seto Kaiba, and Mr. Kaiba finds out about you and him, I don't think our livelihood would be safe. Let's just put it that way."

Kaiba nodded mutely and walked through the door. Jason swung the door shut behind him and Kaiba leaned his weight heavily against the brick wall, feeling the stone poke through his thin shirt.

He stared at the phone in his hand for a long moment before finally deciding to reply with nonchalance, "If you're stopping by Kaiba Corporation, tell Kaiba I said hi!" Kaiba paused and then spitefully added another comment, just to fuck with Yami, "If it's not too much trouble, could you also get his autograph? The bakery manager is a collector! :)" Making sure to add the passive-aggressive smiley face, he sent it and felt his blood boil.

Taking several deep breaths, Kaiba looked up at the clear blue sky, realizing he wasn't going to be getting any sleep today.

* * *

Yami looked down as his phone buzzed and he read the text from Hiro, frowning.

_Hiro wants Kaiba's autograph? No, the bakery's manager wants Kaiba's autograph?_

Yami sighed and leaned back into his seat, wondering how he should go about doing this.

 _I suppose it makes sense_ , Yami mused, _But...can I ask for such a thing from Kaiba?!_

He tapped out his response to Hiro nervously, "I will try...I'm not sure if Kaiba will respond positively to that request, but I will do it, for you Hiro." and he sent it without looking, he couldn't bring himself to read the message again.

Kaiba felt his phone buzz in his hand and he glanced down, reading the text.

 _Oh you're going to have to try very hard to get that autograph for Hiro, Yami_. Kaiba fumed privately as he clicked his phone shut angrily. He closed his eyes and palmed his face lightly; he was so tired. He heard a dog barking in the distance and he furrowed his brow, annoyed.

Suddenly a large, fluffy white dog bounded down the alley and began sniffing around his ankles. Kaiba's eyes shot open as he glared down at the dog, noticing it didn't have a collar or a leash, he backed away from it quickly.

 _A stray?!_ He thought frantically, as the dog followed him, continuing to sniff around his shoes, looking up at him with large brown eyes. The dog's fur was pure white, immensely thick and dense; it looked almost like fleece and Kaiba shook his head slightly. _No, too clean to be a stray._

The enormous dog sat up on it's hind legs, panting excitedly, leaning it's large paws heavily onto his legs, dragging across Kaiba's jeans. The dog's weight was tremendous and Kaiba swallowed nervously, reaching hand out to slowly pat it's head. It's fur was surprisingly bouncy and soft. Kaiba watched as his fingers sank through the dog's fur pleasantly and he smiled in spite of himself. It was like he was touching a cloud.

"Good..boy?" Kaiba said slowly, desperately looking up and down the empty alleyway, looking for it's owner.

The dog smiled wider, continuing to pant loudly, it's tongue hanging loosely out of it's mouth.

 _Oh, it must be hot_ , Kaiba realized and he patted the dog on the head firmly, twice. "Stay here, I'll get you some water."

The dog barked loudly as Kaiba's hand touched the handle of the door. He turned around, looking at it strangely. The dog sat down in front of him, it's tail thumped rhythmically up and down on the pavement.

 _Strange,_ Kaiba thought and he slowly turned around again, reaching for the handle. Once more, the dog barked at him the moment his hand came near the door handle.

Kaiba was starting to lose his patience. "Okay what do you want?" he asked angrily, expecting the dog to understand him.

The dog did nothing and looked at him plainly with it's large brown eyes _,_ it's tail still wagging slowly, sweeping across the pavement.

Kaiba sighed as he looked up and down the alleyway again. _If it's owner is looking for him, they probably wouldn't come down here. I should put him in plain sight._

He turned and made his way down the alleyway, expecting the dog to follow him. The dog did nothing, still sitting obediently by the employee entrance. Kaiba tensed and waved at the dog, gesturing for it to follow him. The dog stared at him blankly, it's tongue hanging out of it's mouth stupidly.

"Come here!" Kaiba cried exasperated, kneeling down slightly and reaching a hand out. Thankfully, the dog seemed to understand. It got up and walked towards him, wagging it's tail excitedly, nudging its head underneath Kaiba's waiting hand. Kaiba felt it's fur puff delightfully underneath his fingers again and he stood up, keeping a light pressure on the dog's head.

"Okay, follow me." Kaiba said, trailing his fingers over the top of the dog's head. The dog licked his fingers suddenly and pressed it's wet nose into the palm of his hand, looking for a treat. Kaiba took a few long steps away from the dog, still holding out his palm, assuming the scent from the cake batter and sugar on his hands was what the dog wanted.

The dog ducked its head and followed him obediently. Relieved, Kaiba walked out of the alleyway looking around for someone, anyone, and his eyes landed on Yami, sitting on his usual bench across the street.

 _Is it that time already?!_ Kaiba thought, stricken, _I literally just saw him!_

The dog barked loudly at this heels and Kaiba stroked it's head heavily, "Don't do that!" he said hastily, but it was too late. He saw Yami look up and notice them. Yami stood up suddenly, his arm raised in a small wave.

Kaiba gritted his teeth and waved back stiffly, watching apprehensively as Yami crossed the street, hurrying towards him.

"Hey!" Yami said breathlessly. His eyes trailed slowly over Hiro's handsome face and down towards the dog that was panting obediently at his heels. "Such nice fur!" Yami exclaimed happily, bending down to touch it. The dog snapped at Yami loudly, the bark ringing painfully in Kaiba's ears and he winced, pressing a hand down firmly onto the dog's head.

"Don't touch him, I don't know what he'll do. He's not mine!" Kaiba said fearfully, kneeling down by the dog's head and purposefully flattening its ears in attempt to communicate with it through touch.

"Stop that." Kaiba commanded, looking at the dog darkly, and the dog sat down obediently once again.

Yami watched Hiro tame the dog easily while stroking the it's ears with his slender fingers.  
"He's very big..." Yami said uncertainly.

Hiro nodded, looking strained, "I think I'll take him to a lost and found or something. He's obviously trained, just not very well."

Yami stepped away from them, afraid that the dog would bark loudly at him again. "Well, I came to say goodbye." he said slowly, looking at a group of students chattering loudly while crossing the street.

Kaiba felt his heart race uncertainly, "What?!"

 _Goodbye?!_ Kaiba thought frantically, _What the fuck?_

"I'm off to see Kaiba for a bit." Yami said seriously, blinking his large amethyst eyes at Hiro.

Kaiba felt the ground shift violently beneath him. _But I'm right here...!_ he thought deliriously. _And I can't be in two places at once, now can I?!_

"N-now?" He choked, feeling the dog lick his fingers again.

"Yes, now." Yami said simply, looking at him strangely, "I'll ask for that autograph for you, but I can't promise anything for certain. Kaiba and I are not on the best of terms."

"You're not?" Kaiba repeated stupidly, feeling the numbness spread through his chest.

Yami frowned and shook his head gravely, "We're really not. Please believe me."

"Then why...are you going to see him?!" Kaiba asked, his voice rising with emotion.

"Hiro ...please." Yami said, looking at him sadly, "Kaiba is-"

Yami was cut off by a shrill cry from behind them, as a small girl rushed in-between them suddenly and threw her arms around the large white dog, crying loudly, "Mei! Oh Mei! Don't run away like that!"

Kaiba withdrew his hand from the dog's head and stepped away from the girl and her dog, giving her room to fasten a collar and leash on it. Kaiba looked over at Yami who wore an expression of slight irritation, having been interrupted.

The girl stood up quickly and adjusted her ponytail which was tied high above her head, with waves of long brown hair hanging from it like a waterfall. She reached over and grabbed Kaiba's hand tightly, "Oh, thank you! She's always running away, I can barely hold onto her sometimes! She's a very rare breed, I was afraid someone kidnapped her! Thank you for keeping her safe, let me pay you back!"

Kaiba looked down at her disdainfully. She was very petite, no taller than Yugi. "No thank you." he replied shortly, inching his hand out of her grasp which was growing clammy.

"No please, I insist! I'm the cashier at this bakery! I'll buy you any cake or pastry you want! I'm sure we can work something out!" She cried desperately, and the dog tugged on the leash as it got up to sniff around Kaiba's ankles again.

"What?" Kaiba said as it slowly dawned on him that this girl was Jason's niece, "Well it's nice to meet you..I work here..."

The girl's eyes widened and she grabbed his hand again tightly, "Ohmigosh! You must be Hiro! I'm June!"

"May and June...?" Hiro said, smiling politely, cupping her small hands in his larger ones, "Matching names with your dog?"

"Oh, no!" The girl laughed brightly, "Her name is spelled "M-e-i" but I never thought of it that way, you're so funny!" She laughed fully again, squeezing his hand comfortingly and Hiro smiled widely, laughing along with her.

Yami's eyes widened as he watched their exchange unfold before him.

 _How is he so charming?_ Yami wondered, his chest tightening with emotion.

The dog nudged Kaiba's knees with it's nose and Kaiba leaned down to pat it's head again.

"She likes you." June commented, "She's usually barks a lot at strangers, but she's harmless."

Kaiba nodded silently, aware that Yami was watching them carefully.

"Well I'm going to head in, I'll see you inside!" she chirped, and she tugged at the dog's leash, heading towards the entrance of the bakery.

Hiro glanced over at Yami uncertainly, "I hope your visit goes well."

Yami nodded silently, and he turned to leave.

"Wait." Kaiba called, moving towards him steadily. "Finish what you were about to say."

Yami blinked, startled, "Oh, it was nothing." He said hastily, looking away towards the street, his face heating up.

 _No, it was something!_ Kaiba thought angrily but all he could do was nod politely and watch Yami slowly make his way up the street. Yami's figure slowly faded in the distance and Kaiba let out a breath tensely, realizing he was in trouble.

 _If he's on his way to Kaiba Corp...I need to get there before he does!_ Kaiba turned and rushed in through the employee entrance, barely glancing at the neat rows of beautifully iced cakes. His eyes swept over the room, looking for Jason. He distinctly heard laughter floating in through the entrance and he hurried out of the kitchen, almost tripping over Jason who was laughing and hugging his niece.

"Ah Hiro! Back so soon? I see you met my niece, June! And..fluffy Mei!" Jason leaned down to give the dog a vigorous rub and the dog licked his fingers happily.

"I need to leave." Kaiba said quietly, getting straight to the point.

They stared at him silently for a moment before June spoke up suddenly, "Is everything okay?"

"I've got a...family emergency." Kaiba said darkly, his eyes darting between them readily, aware that this was extremely unprofessional behavior. He still had a few more hours left on his shift.

"Okay, let's head into the back and I want to talk with you." Jason said suddenly, gesturing towards the kitchen doors. "June-bug, you stay here and and get acquainted with the surroundings. Make sure Mei is comfortable outside!"

Kaiba saw June nod and throw them a strange look as she tugged on Mei's leash and led the dog outside slowly. Jason brushed past Kaiba and ducked into the kitchen silently.

A pit of dread was bubbling in Kaiba's stomach as he followed Jason into the kitchen.

"Alright." Jason said quietly, leaning against the counter, looking at him with an expression of deep concern. "Hiro, bud, tell me what this is about."

Kaiba blinked as his voice hitched in his throat, "What do you mean."

"Don't yank me around," Jason said heavily, "I know you're gonna take off to follow your Yugi doppelganger into Kaiba Headquarters. Not wise, if I might add."

"I'm..not.." Kaiba started, but then he stopped, realizing the truth was probably the best way to go about this, "Fine. I am going. And you can't stop me from leaving. Fire me if you want."

Jason opened and shut his mouth as if he couldn't make up his mind about what to say and he crossed his arms firmly across his chest, looking at Kaiba with a strange expression.

Kaiba didn't wait around to hear what Jason had to say. He stormed out of the kitchen and through the back door. As the door began to swing shut, he heard Jason yell at him loudly, "I expect you back here same time tomorrow!"

Kaiba barely registered this as he rushed to his car, yanking the door open, he threw himself into the seat and revved the engine ferociously, glaring at the clock on his dashboard.

 _Fuck!_ Kaiba cursed, _Yami is probably there already!_

He peeled out of the parking lot and sped off down the narrow streets, almost running over a group of students who were slowly crossing the street.

Kaiba saw them yell at him angrily, giving him the finger and running after his car, but they quickly disappeared in his rear view mirror as he turned the corner and pulled out into a main road and onto the freeway. He sped dangerously along the edge of the road, the concrete barriers rushing past his window in a blur. His grip tightened on the wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. Cars honked angrily at him as he cut them off, swerving from lane to lane.

 _Why is he coming to visit me in the middle of the goddamn day?_ Kaiba fumed as he shifted down and increased his pressure on the gas pedal. His company phone vibrated in his pocket just as he pulled off the freeway and onto the road nearing his mansion. He could see the tips the rooftop peeking out from behind the tall fir trees surrounding his property. He was so close!

He pulled over onto the sidewalk a few blocks away from his mansion and he dug the phone out from his pocket. It was Mokuba. Kaiba touched the phone to his ear hastily, "What!" he said, trying to keep the frantic desperation from slipping into his voice.

"Um..Seto, Yami is here to see you." Mokuba said softly, and he could hear Isono offering Yami a drink in the background.

Kaiba hit mute on the phone and swore loudly, feeling his head pound heavily with frustration. _I'm too damn late! How the hell do I get into the house without him seeing me?!_

He could hear Mokuba's voice floating through the phone faintly, "Seto? ...Hello? Are you still there?"

"Yeah I'm still here Mokuba." Kaiba growled, shutting off his engine and stepping carefully out of the car. "Tell him I'll be there soon." And he clicked his phone shut, walking swiftly along the sidewalk, his mind racing.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Cliffhanger?!** How will Seto get into the house without being seen? **  
**

Please look forward to the next chapter! 3

I usually don't write this much dialogue, let me know what you guys think xD  
Eternal love & appreciation for my editor Seket -hugs- who is always helping me improve, always helping me learn!

oxoxo  
ugli


	11. I couldn't catch your words

Mokuba hung up the phone and turned to face Yami who was standing in the middle of their spacious living room, glancing around uncertainly.

"So.." Mokuba started awkwardly, making an attempt at a conversation, "What did Seto do this time?"

Yami turned his gaze towards Mokuba, "Nothing." he replied simply, and his eyes went back to roaming around the room. Everything was beautiful, but simply furnished. Several large screens hung on the walls, surrounded by plush white leather seating.

Mokuba's homework was scattered messily across the coffee table in the center of the room and warm beams of sunlight filtered in through a set of tall glass doors, leading out into a luscious garden, in full bloom.

Yami walked towards the glass doorway and peered out, enjoying the view of the beautiful pink rose bushes lining a small pebbled pathway.

"Your garden is beautiful." Yami commented, aching to step outside to touch one of the flowers.

"Th-Thanks?" Mokuba said hesitantly, "Seto likes it...I don't really care about plants."

Yami nodded, straining his neck and standing on his tiptoes, attempting to peer over the wall of the garden, wondering where it led. He heard Mokuba's phone buzz loudly and Mokuba turned red, hurrying to the back of the room to take the call.

"Seto?" He whispered, eyeing Yami who was craning his neck, trying to look over the wall of the garden, "Where are you?!"

"I'm outside by the gate." Kaiba said, slightly out of breath. He had jogged towards the mansion and was leaning against the white marble pillars by the gate enclosure surrounding his property.

Mokuba's eyes widened, "Okay..um, we're in the living room..."

Yami turned to give Mokuba a strange look and Mokuba smiled back nervously.

Yami faced the garden once more and tucked his hand in his pocket, running his fingers over the buttons of his phone.

"Well, maybe...get out of the living room and go upstairs." Kaiba breathed, gripping the sides of his phone tightly. "And take Yami with you."

Mokuba blinked rapidly as his heart began to race frantically, "N-now?!"

"Yes," Kaiba hissed, "Just distract him. Say there's something you want to show him in your room. And _close the door._ "

Mokuba opened and closed his mouth awkwardly as Seto hung up on him.

Kaiba sighed and shoved his phone back into his pocket. The afternoon sun shone harshly down on him as he squinted up over the wall, scanning the second floor balcony, wondering if it was worth scaling the wall by the garden. He could feel a slight headache building in the back of his head as he unlocked the gate and stepped onto the pale concrete of his driveway.

Circling the house, he reached the large marble enclosure surrounding their private garden. He leaned his body against the cool stone and closed his eyes, cursing. The wall was too high...unless...Kaiba eyed the garbage bin sitting a few yards away.

Sighing heavily, Kaiba made his way over to the trash bin and inspected it closely. It was surprisingly clean and thankfully, had a small set of wheels attached to the bottom. He made a mental note to thank Isono later tonight and he leaned his shoulder into the side of the bin, pushing it along. The wheels squeaked reluctantly as Kaiba managed to shove the slim trash can up against the wall firmly.

Kaiba took a deep breath and placed his palms on the thin, plastic lid, pushing down onto it, testing it. It wobbled disconcertingly under his weight. He could easily break through the material and fall into the trash.

 _Fuck..me!_ Kaiba fumed but he decided to do it anyway. He heaved himself up onto the lid and it creaked dangerously under his feet. _Shit shit..!_ Kaiba cursed as his fingertips barely grazed over the top edge of the wall, his shoulder straining painfully as he tried reaching up further.

Kaiba realized it was futile, so he eased himself off the trash can heavily, knowing that he needed more momentum. He would have to leap onto the lid, to get himself more height in order to make it over the damn wall.

 _Shiiiiiiiit..!_ Kaiba pinched his brow in frustration and pulled out his phone, checking the time. Mokuba had been inside with Yami for almost thirty minutes. What were the chances he could enter through the front without being seen? No. He couldn't risk it.

Shoving the phone back into his pocket, Kaiba took a few paces back and stared at the garbage can. He felt like he was living in a terrible dream. Was any of this real? Was this actually happening? Was he actually going to scale a wall on his own property using a trash bin?

Kaiba shook his head and began pacing forwards, counting how many large steps it took to reach the edge of the bin.

Inside the house, Mokuba was standing awkwardly behind Yami who still staring absently out into the garden with his back turned to him. The silence stretched on for several long minutes until it was becoming unbearable for Mokuba.

"Hey Y-Yami!" Mokuba said as brightly as he could manage, "Come upstairs with me real quick?"

Yami turned slowly to face Mokuba, who had his arms clasped behind his back nervously, acting strange.

"Why...?" Yami asked slowly, looking Mokuba up and down.

Mokuba felt as though Yami's gaze was burning a hole through the ground he was standing on, and he was sinking fast, "Um, cuz I got this really cool...new.. game and I haven't had a chance to show anyone yet! M-Maybe you wanna come upstairs and check it out with me?"

Yami narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Mokuba who was shuffling his feet from side to side.

"Are you lying?" Yami asked suddenly, recognizing the familiar behavior he often witnessed in Yugi when Yugi neglected to tell him something.

Mokuba floundered as he fidgeted nervously, unsure of how to continue.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the garden wall, Kaiba was glaring at the trash can hatefully. Just one more thing to cross off on his list of crazy, ridiculous things he was doing for Yami.

Kaiba let his breath out in a tight huff and sprinted towards the trash bin. The plastic rim approached his vision quickly and he slapped his palms over the edge as he swung his legs up onto the lid; the plastic creaked distressingly underneath him. Not wasting a moment, Kaiba lunged upwards towards the top edge of the wall, feeling his thighs burn at the sudden movement.

He felt the lid give away beneath his feet just as his forearm wrapped around the top of the marble wall painfully. There was a loud popping noise beneath him as the lid deformed and Kaiba flinched at the sound, hastily throwing a leg over the wall, his fingertips straining as he clung onto the side of the wall.

Hurriedly swinging his other leg over, Kaiba carefully lowered himself down onto the other side, his arms straining as he hung off the edge before letting go.

Kaiba nimbly landed on his feet as he dropped down quietly onto the grass. He dusted his hands off, feeling accomplished, but that feeling quickly morphed into horror when he looked up and saw the silhouette of Yami, with his back turned towards him, leaning on the sliding glass door.

 _Oh shit!_ Kaiba panicked and pressed himself tightly against the opposite wall, his heart thudding loudly in his chest. If Yami had turned around in that second, he would have been seen. What the hell was Mokuba doing?!

"I'm not _really_ lying," Mokuba said, distraught, grasping for a believable lie. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a the tall shadow of Seto hovering by the farthest wall of the garden and his heart leapt into his throat.

Yami sighed and moved to turn back to face the garden and Mokuba panicked.

"Actually!" Mokuba cried desperately, "Seto, doesn't know I bought it. So I'll get into a lot of trouble...!"

 _And if you don't come upstairs with me, I'll be in even bigger trouble!_ Mokuba thought, terrified.

Yami looked at him strangely and Mokuba smiled anxiously back at him and gestured towards the grand staircase, indicating Yami should follow.

"Where are we going?" Yami asked bluntly, uninterested.

"U-up! To my room! Please?!" Mokuba begged, realizing he was out of time. He could see Seto's shadow dipping in and out along the wall until it disappeared suddenly.

"Yes, won't we both get into trouble then?" Yami objected, frowning at Mokuba, "If your brother were to come home right this second, and we are in your room looking at something you're not supposed to have?"

"Yeah, well..." Mokuba was on the verge of tears, "I'd get into _less_ trouble because you're here! I won't get yelled at if strangers are in the house!"

Yami paused and blinked as Mokuba's words hit him unexpectedly.

 _I suppose... I am a stranger to Kaiba,_ Yami realized.

"Yami..please!" Mokuba cried, rushing forward and grabbing Yami by the arm, tugging insistently. In that one moment, Mokuba suddenly had an inkling of why Seto liked Yami so much. They were so similar in so many ways, equally as stubborn and intelligent, it was almost impossible to fool either of them into doing anything, without going to great lengths of deception.

Kaiba inched along the wall, feeling the stone scrape across his thin shirt. He could hear Mokuba's voice coming faintly through the glass and Kaiba realized Yami was no longer leaning against the door.

He risked a glance by peeking carefully around the wall and he jerked his head back again, trying to process what he had just seen. Mokuba was tugging and clinging desperately onto Yami's arm, pulling him in the direction of the staircase while Yami stood stubbornly still.

 _What the fucking hell?! Was Mokuba unable to convince Yami?_ Kaiba could feel his headache coming on fully now and the pain had become a dull throb, pulsing in-sync with his anxious heartbeat. _Mokuba is a bad liar after all, Yami probably saw right through it,_ Kaiba grimaced in pain as his eyes swept across the garden, looking for another exit.  
He could hear Mokuba shouting at Yami through the glass now.

"Fine I won't show it to you then!" Mokuba yelled, "But just come upstairs and wait in my room with me!"

Kaiba groaned internally. Poor Mokuba wasn't going to convince Yami to go anywhere with him by acting like that, it was too fucking obvious.

Yami blinked slowly at Mokuba, realizing the younger Kaiba was actually throwing a tantrum in front of him. "And what happens if I decide to remain here?" Yami said, almost egging Mokuba on. Yami knew something was amiss, he just couldn't figure out what. Perhaps if he pushed Mokuba far enough...he would tell him.

"I'm staying here." Yami said mischievously, smirking slightly at Mokuba, watching him carefully for a reaction. "I'm a stranger in your house after all, I don't wish to intrude upon your personal space."

"Yeah?" Mokuba choked, unable to believe what he was hearing. He had failed miserably and he decided he wasn't going to stick around for the consequences.

"Fine." Mokuba said, his panic rising higher and higher, "I'm going up to my room by myself! Don't follow me!" And with that, he stormed off, stamping his feet up the stairs. Mokuba rushed into his room and slammed the door loudly and he sat down on his bed, feeling a large cloud of dread loom over his head. He pulled out his phone and dialed Seto.

Kaiba felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he inched back along the wall. He answered it quietly, feeling defeated.

"What happened Mokuba?" he whispered, knowing the answer full well as he could still see the tips of Yami's spiky haired shadow grazing along the edge of the glass door.

"I'm sor-ry..-y ..Seto!" Mokuba hiccuped miserably, "I tried! I really did! But he just kept asking me why! A-And he even asked me if I was lying!"

"Well that's because you _were_ lying, kiddo." Seto said, as he almost felt like laughing. He hadn't expected Mokuba to succeed, but the effort was cute.

"So should I ask him to leave?" Mokuba sniffed, rubbing his sleeve roughly over his nose, "Ask him to come back later..?"

"No." Kaiba responded darkly, "Then he'll know something is really up, given your performance."

"I said I was sorry!" Mokuba almost shouted. He was still so frustrated with Yami he couldn't help but yell at Seto.

"It's okay, Mokuba, it's really okay. I'll figure something out. I always do." Kaiba said reassuringly, smiling a little as his gaze fell on the large, green rolls of the garden hose.

"Are you still...is your hair still...?" Mokuba asked, unable to get the words out of his mouth. He threw himself down onto the bed and muffled his face into his pillow, feeling hot tears well up in his eyes.

Kaiba could hear Mokuba's voice grow fainter mixed in with the sound of fabric rustling, and he tried to console his younger brother, "Yes my hair still has dye in it, but don't worry. You did great. In fact, you've earned your go-karting trip this weekend. How does that sound?" Kaiba said, carefully stepping around the coils of the loose water hose, looking for the nozzle.

"R-Really?" Mokuba said, turning his head slightly, pressing the phone against his ear tightly.

"Yes." Kaiba said triumphantly as he spied a gleam of the chrome nozzle peeking out from underneath the mess of green coils.

"Thank you Seto, you're the best..!" Mokuba said blurrily, pushing the phone away from his face and hanging up.

Kaiba heard a click as Mokuba hung up and he carefully set his phone down on the concrete, leaning it against the wall. He threw a furtive glance behind his shoulder, making sure Yami couldn't see him from where he stood. The sliding door was hidden from view around a shallow corner and Kaiba breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly dug out Hiro's phone from his other pocket and placed it down onto the concrete next to his company phone.

Kaiba turned his gaze back to the hose following it as it snaked around the wall. He found the spout and he switched in on, listening to the low hiss of water passing through the tubes. There was a slight gurgling as water spouted slowly from the nozzle and Kaiba hurried back over to it, wrapping his slender fingers around the handle and releasing the water pressure.

Thick streams of water shot out heavily and Kaiba wasted no time, plunging his head underneath the hose, feeling the cold water burn his scalp and trickle down his ears.

A few freezing drops of water found their way down his shirt and Kaiba's jaw clenched painfully as he resisted the urge to yell out. He watched as the pavement began to stain black with the run-off from his hair and he cursed internally again, moving his himself over a row of peonies, making sure the dirt soaked up the dirty water.

 _These flowers better not fucking die because of this_ , Kaiba thought furiously, running a hand back and forth through his hair vigorously, watching the white petals turn grey as the dye began to wash out thoroughly.

He watched was the water ran clear and Kaiba patted the cold water on his cheeks to wash off any black streaks that may have run down his face. Making a huge effort to keep his actions quiet, Kaiba set the hose down onto the pavement and leaned his head back.

He pushed his dripping bangs out from his eyes and blindly pinched the contacts out from his eyes, wincing in pain as his fingernails scraped along the top of his eyelid. Blinking rapidly, his eyes watering, Kaiba stared at the crumpled brown film on his finger and tossed it into the dirt without hesitation. He leaned his head back again and peeled the other contact out of his eye, feeling his vision blur as he pulled the contact away from his eye too quickly. He tossed the second crumpled contact into the dirt and brushed his shoe over the plot, so that they wouldn't be visible on the surface.

He stared down at his shoes, and at his jeans, and it suddenly hit him. He couldn't go in dressed like this, even if he did have his own hair and eye color. Yami had just seen Hiro less than an hour ago. If Seto Kaiba appeared before him, wearing the same shit, that would be really fucking suspicious, now wouldn't it?

Kaiba closed his eyes tightly, unable to believe what he was about to do. He opened his eyes and looked up into the sky which was the clearest blue, not a cloud was in sight.

 _Do it._ Kaiba thought to himself rigidly. He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and peeled it up over his head. He shivered as the cold water dripped off from his hair and onto his bare skin. Kaiba roughly toweled his hair dry with his shirt, feeling the light spring breeze raise goosebumps on his arms. He unbuttoned his belt and stepped out of his jeans, feeling the wind ruffle the ends of his thin cotton boxers. Trying not to think too much about it, Kaiba took his shoes off as well and hastily stashed the bundle of clothes alongside the wall, beside his two phones.

Kaiba paused and picked up one of the phones, checking his reflection on the screen, making sure there weren't any suspicious dark streaks running along his face or body. He found none and he set the phone back down against the wall.

 _There_ , Kaiba thought, satisfied. _Now, to see the horror on Yami's face._

And he strode confidently towards the sliding glass door, fully aware that it would be locked from the outside. Yami would have to let him in.

Yami had settled himself comfortably on the white leather sofa and he was beginning to feel sleepy. He raised an arm up to stretch sleepily and he felt a yawn coming on. He glanced out the glass door into the garden again, thinking he had seen something move.

Yami turned his head to face the door and brought his hand up to stifle a yawn just as he saw Kaiba striding arrogantly across the garden, towards the glass door...in his boxers.

His yawn hitched in his throat painfully as Kaiba quickly approached the glass and knocked firmly, looming threateningly on the other side.

Yami sat very still and stared, flabbergasted. _Was Kaiba...locked out?_

Kaiba knocked again and pointed at the handle, mouthing words at him.

Yami let out a yell of mirthful laughter as Kaiba steadily grew redder and redder from behind the glass.

Yami couldn't stop laughing. He toppled over into the leather couch, sinking into the cushions beside him as his body heaved with laughter.

Kaiba knocked angrily against the glass for the third time and crossed his arms firmly across his chest, irritably flicking the damp hair from his eyes. What the hell was so fucking hilarious?

"Open the door, dammit!" Kaiba growled as he watched Yami slide off the couch and onto the floor weakly, gripping his sides, his shoulders shaking.

Mokuba came running down the stairs at the sound of Yami's laughter. "What's going o-"

Mokuba's mouth dropped open when he saw Yami sitting on the floor, gripping his sides, howling with gleeful laughter and amusement at Seto, who was standing outside, in his boxers, his forehead pressed into the glass, trying to see what was going on inside.

Kaiba saw Mokuba standing at the foot of the stairs, staring with his mouth agape, and he banged on the glass with his fist, causing the pane to rattle in its seating.

"Open!" he mouthed, and he shook the door handle viciously.

The noise shocked Mokuba into action and he rushed to the door and unlocked it.

"Thank you." Kaiba said furiously, stepping into the living room, eyeing Yami resentfully.

Mokuba swallowed and nodded; he was starting to see what was so funny. "S-sorry Seto!" he gasped, looking his older brother up and down. There was no trace of black dye anywhere. _That's my big brother_ , Mokuba thought surely and he turned to go back up to his room, pausing to watch Yami take deep shuddering gasps while attempting to stand.

Mokuba shook his head and headed back up the stairs, eager to stay out of sight. Seto had just granted him permission for go-karting, he wasn't about to screw it up by sticking around to watch him fight with Yami.

Kaiba heard the door to Mokuba's room shut quietly and he tried his best to ignore Yami who was still keeled over on the floor, his body shaking with hysteria. Kaiba made his way up the stairs and into his room. He closed the door behind him as he stepped into the bathroom.

Switching on the hot water, Kaiba hastily stepped underneath it in an effort to warm himself up quickly, making sure to give his hair another thorough rinse. The water pooled around his feet as he stared down at it, wondering if he could manage to have a normal interaction with Yami this time.

 _More lies_ , Kaiba thought bitterly, _it won't matter what I say, because none of it will be true._

He shut the water off dejected and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and absently ruffled his hair dry. Grabbing the hair dryer, he gave his hair a few blasts before wrapping the towel around his waist and exiting the bathroom. Kaiba hurried over to his closet and pulled on his usual dark trousers, feeling a bit more like himself as he buckled a belt bearing his logo across his waist.

He pulled a black turtleneck over his head and expertly tucked it in around the rim of his pants neatly. Kaiba bent down to slip on his shoes he paused as he heard a quiet movement behind him. He quickly slammed the closet door shut, whirling around just in time to see the tips of Yami's boots peeking out from behind the door.

 _Fucking knock!_ Kaiba fumed as he strode over to the door and pulled it open widely.

The door handle was yanked out of Yami's grasp as Kaiba swung the door open forcefully, and Yami cried out, startled. "Oh..I didn't-"

"Knock." Kaiba growled, "You didn't knock. Come in."

 _What would he have done if he had seen Hiro's clothes inside my closet?_ Kaiba thought distractedly.

Yami appraised Kaiba fully, sweeping his eyes over Kaiba's figure-hugging turtle neck, down his trousers and all the way to the tips of his polished shoes. He noticed Kaiba's hair was still slightly damp, which was strange.

"You're dressed." Yami said, amused, his eyes roaming around Kaiba's spacious room which was beautifully lit with high windows and a giant crystal chandelier which hung impressively above their heads.

Kaiba felt himself smile slightly, "Yes, now, tell me what you're here for."

"I.." Yami felt himself stop. What _was_ he here for?

Kaiba watched Yami's expression shift as he paused to gather his thoughts.

"You don't have to tell me." Kaiba said shortly, "I already know."

Yami's eyes widened as he looked up at Kaiba who was rummaging around in his desk drawers for his spare wallet and keys. _Which car...which car._..Kaiba picked up the keys for his black Ferrari and felt around in his pockets for his phone.

 _Godammit my phone is still outside, fuck!_ Kaiba cursed as he willed himself to remain expressionless.

He nudged the drawer shut with his hips and crossed the room in a few long strides, brushing past Yami, feeling Yami tense up.

Kaiba stood in the doorway and held his hand up high as he looped the keys around his fingers for Yami to see. "Let's go." he said, and he turned to head down the stairs.

"Wait!" Yami called out anxiously as he struggled to follow behind Kaiba's tall figure, "Where are you going?" Yami carefully stepped down the stairs, his footsteps felt strangely light.

"You mean, where are _we_ going." Kaiba corrected, sharply rounding a corner at the bottom of the stairs, walking through a long hallway.

"Right," Yami said, exasperated, nervously looking around him in the hallway as they passed by several closed doors, "Where are _we_ going?"

"This way." Kaiba responded cryptically as he shouldered the door open at the end of the hallway, walking down a series of shallow steps, his voice echoing as he entered the garage.

"Yes, where?!" Yami cried, following Kaiba as closely as he could, down into the dark room.

Kaiba flicked the lights on in the garage and he could hear Yami audibly gasp behind him.

Yami felt the breath leave his body as he gazed upon row after gleaming row of Kaiba's luxurious sports cars.

"Go ahead, pick one." Kaiba urged, eyeing the empty space at the end of the room, hoping Yami wouldn't ask any questions. His stomach churned uncomfortably as tried not to worry about his car parked randomly in the street a few blocks away.  
He was going to get a ticket for sure.

"Which one?" Yami asked his eyes widened so much Kaiba could see all the whites around his pupils and he felt a rush of pride.

Yami walked tentatively between each car, feeling a strange tugging in his chest, unsure of what to think. His eyes landed on an empty space at the far end of the room and he couldn't help but make his way over to it.

Kaiba felt himself sweat nervously as he watched Yami stand in the middle of the space and point at the ground, "Where is this car?"

Kaiba pulled the corner of his mouth up into what he hoped was a convincing smirk, "I'm saving that space for a new purchase. I haven't decided yet."

"Ah." Yami mused and his eyes landed on a sleek black Ferrari with gold rims in the neighboring space. "This one!" he cried excitedly, rushing forwards to touch the handle.

Kaiba nodded approvingly and was secretly thankful that he had guessed right in the first place. He pressed the keys lightly, causing the headlights to gleam energetically. Yami's eyes sparkled at the sight. He tugged the door open delicately and bent over to peer inside.

Everything was covered in black matte leather except for a tiny yellow crest which sat elegantly in the center of the steering wheel. Kaiba circled the car, resisting the urge to slap Yami on the ass as he passed by.

"Get in." Kaiba said, pulling open the driver's side door and folding himself gracefully into the seat. Yami nodded enthusiastically and ducked his head down, pulling the door shut beside himself. He settled into the plush leather, slightly put off by how little room there was in the car between them.

"It's quite...nice." Yami commented, tucking his knees into the footwell, realizing there was very little room for him to move. His eyes trailed over Kaiba's long legs which were bent at a sharp angle beneath the steering wheel. Yami brought his gaze upwards, past Kaiba's head, which just barely brushing the roof of the car.

Kaiba noticed this and laughed slightly, "They make these things to go fast; it's not a couch on wheels."

Yami nodded and looked away, blushing lightly, "I see."

Kaiba clicked a button on his keys and they sat in silence as the garage door opened slowly behind them. Yami spoke up again as Kaiba was backing carefully out of the driveway, "So...where are we going?" Yami peered out through the low window, amazed at how close they were to the ground.

Kaiba pressed another button and he watched the main gate roll back quietly, "Where do you want to go?" Kaiba asked quietly, backing through the gate diligently. The engine was vibrating insistently at him, shaking the whole car.

Yami looked at Kaiba suddenly, thinking he'd almost heard Hiro's voice come out of Kaiba's mouth.

Kaiba noticed Yami threw him a startled look and he smiled reassuringly at him, "The shaking is normal, the car just wants to go fast."

Yami tore his gaze away from Kaiba's strangely charming smile and he tucked his hands under his knees, gazing resolutely out the window, wondering if it was too late to ask if he could exit the car.

Kaiba frowned worriedly, recognizing this pose from their excursions when he was disguised as Hiro. He paused uncertainly, terrified he'd done something that would cause Yami distress again. The car idled loudly as the gate began to close behind them.

"What's wrong?" Kaiba asked achingly, straining his head, wishing Yami would turn around to face him.

 _Nothing's wrong,_ Yami thought in reply, _I'm thinking about Hiro, that's all._

Yami forced himself to turn and give Kaiba a wavering smile, "Nothing. We can go."

 _He's upset ...! And we haven't even left the house!_ Kaiba realized as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Okay." Kaiba said darkly and he tapped the button again, waiting for the front gate to roll open once more.

Yami watched the gate slide back in the reflection of the side mirror, feeling his stomach bubble uncomfortably.

Kaiba gripped the wheel and shoved the throttle forward, peeling out of the driveway and onto the street, the engine roaring loudly. Yami tensed his elbows as the car lurched forwards and they sped off down the road. He watched as the other cars zipped by as Kaiba drifted from lane to lane.

While they were stopped at a red light, several drivers rolled their windows down to get a better look at the car. Yami even saw several people stick their phones out to capture them on film.

"Can they see in?" Yami asked, his voice rising uncertainly as he watched a pair of pretty girls in a neighboring car blow them kisses.

"No." Kaiba grinned, tossing the hair out of his eyes and looking over at Yami, amused, "That's the beauty of tinted windows."

Yami nodded stiffly and said, "Your car is getting a lot of attention."

Yami shut his mouth quickly and bit his tongue, realizing he was accidentally repeating words he had said to Hiro.

Kaiba's grip tensed on the wheel as the light turned green and he stepped on the gas. _What the hell?_ Kaiba thought faintly _. Is this some kind of test? He said the same thing to me the other day when I was Hiro. Is he comparing us?! This bastard...!_

Kaiba pulled smoothly onto the freeway and tried to contain his rage. _Fine, if he wants a comparison, he isn't getting one because it'll be the same answer._

Yami looked over at Kaiba, unsure if Kaiba had heard him. He noticed Kaiba's knuckles were white as they gripped the wheel tightly, which was strange, because he was sure Kaiba enjoyed any kind of attention he could get...

"I wasn't paying attention." Kaiba said, recalling what he had said as Hiro, "I was too busy looking at you." And he turned to throw Yami the most dazzling smile he could muster, feeling a dull satisfaction settle over him as he noticed Yami's wide-eyed expression out of the corner of his eye.

He kept his eyes firmly on the road as he watched Yami fidget nervously out of his peripheral.

 _I bet you didn't expect that, Yami._ Kaiba thought shrewdly as he pulled off the freeway, curving the car expertly around in the exit lane. _Stop trying to compare me to your precious Hiro. It's not going to work._

Yami lowered his head as he tried not to panic. What were the chances that Kaiba would respond the same way to a question he had asked Hiro? Slim...but, Yami filed the incident away in his mind, resolving to go over it again later in private.

"You still haven't told me where we're going." Yami said uncertainly, watching the scenery pass by outside his window. The road around them began to clear out, less cars surrounding them, with more and more trees beginning to appear along the side of the road as it began to narrow.

They were driving off into a remote area Yami had never been to before and he tensed uncomfortably as sunlight filtered dimly through the thick leaves from several large trees lining the road. He had never been this far out from the city before, were they driving out into the forest?

Yami stole a quick glance over at Kaiba, who was staring diligently out onto the road with a beautifully manicured hand resting on the shift knob. Yami turned his gaze outwards again, marveling at all of the greenery. The road began to curve sharply and Kaiba swerved lightly to avoid the branches and debris on the ground in front of them.

Yami blinked and slid his hands out from underneath his thighs, gripping his knees tightly. He didn't feel unsafe...but..their surroundings were definitely contributing to his anxiety. He looked out the window again and saw a sliver of blue dipping low over the metal barriers on the road.

Yami gasped audibly and he pressed himself closer against the window. _The ocean?! No, a lake!_

Kaiba gripped the wheel tightly as they glided through another steep curve. He stole a glance at Yami, noting his hands were no longer tucked under his thighs and he let out a small sigh of relief. He was safe... for now.

Yami tilted his head, trying to get a better look out the window and his eyes darted over everything that passed them by; it was like he couldn't see enough with his eyes alone. It was so scenic! The clear blue lake reflected a few puffy clouds along it's surface and hanging branches whipped by, almost grazing the window.

Suddenly the road angled sharply upwards and Kaiba grabbed the gearshift and pulled it strongly downwards, causing the car to rumble powerfully up the slope.

Yami stifled a gasp, the momentum leaned him back into his seat, as the car roared forwards and upwards mightily. Everything outside his window became a green blur; Yami could barely see anything clearly as they sped up the curved road at an impossible speed.

"Where..?" Yami called over the rumble of the engine, lowering his gaze down onto Kaiba's hand which was draped casually over the gear shift. It looked to be about the size of Hiro's hands, but... Yami could swear Hiro's hands definitely looked much rougher. He almost wanted to reach out to touch Kaiba's hand, just to see what it felt like, but something inside him told him it was wrong to do so.

Kaiba pulled around another curve, but it was gradual this time. He eased up on the gas and they began to slow down as they passed a two-story wooden building, propped up on stilts over the lake. He could feel Yami's eyes on him but he couldn't look away from the road to confirm. Kaiba turned into a narrow dirt path alongside an expansive boardwalk and carefully maneuvered the car into a parking spot, each carefully lined and separated with large wooden barrels.

Kaiba shut the engine off and the silence in the car became deafening. He looked over at Yami, who was staring at his hand with a curious expression on his face.

Kaiba recoiled his hand quickly away from the shift knob and curled his fingers into his palm, resting it on his knee as casually as he could manage.

"We're here." Kaiba said awkwardly, watching Yami's expressions carefully.

Yami didn't make eye contact as he nodded and turned to pull the door handle quietly. Kaiba waited until Yami had stepped out of the car before he climbed out, watching Yami observe their surroundings, looking up at the lights which were strung from post to post at the edge of the boardwalk.

Kaiba made sure to lock the vehicle before circling around and automatically reaching a hand out to touch Yami, forgetting who he was a for a second. He grabbed Yami by the hand, smiling lightly and pulled him gently towards the direction of the beautifully lit boardwalk.

"Let's go up there," Kaiba said, his eyes gleaming excitedly, "We'll get a better view of the water from up there."

Yami opened his mouth to protest but he couldn't find his voice when he felt Kaiba's cool hand press into his warm one. Yami swallowed nervously and allowed himself to be led up onto the thick wooden planks. He glanced down uncertainly at his hand, which had almost disappeared into Kaiba's larger palm and he felt his head swim.

 _Why...is Kaiba... holding my hand ..? It feels.._.Yami couldn't find the words to describe the strange feeling which was slowly rising up in his chest. He felt like laughing and crying at the same time. This was an action he only shared with Hiro, this was wrong..! But then why did he feel so excited at the same time?

Kaiba strode forward towards the end of the walkway, eager to show Yami the view, unaware of his distress.

Kaiba stopped at the edge where the boardwalk ended abruptly, and Yami stared out over the expansive lake, trying to take in beautiful view, but his eyes couldn't focus on anything.

Kaiba still hadn't let go of his hand, and he seemed to have forgotten that they were touching.

Yami wiggled his fingers in Kaiba's grasp and tried to tug his hand back. Kaiba turned to look down and smile at him, gently, too gently. Yami swallowed thinly as he gazed up into Kaiba's clear blue eyes which looked as cold as ever, but they were turned upwards in the corners. This was a real smile. Yami felt himself grow hot all over as he blinked rapidly, his chest constricting painfully. It was becoming very difficult to breathe.

Kaiba noticed Yami tense visibly and he tilted his head slightly, looking down curiously at Yami, wondering what it was this time. Yami's eyes suddenly narrowed at him as he jerked his hand forcefully out of his grasp; the motion startled Kaiba as he felt the warmth from Yami's hand leave his own.

 _Oh shit...I was holding his hand..!_ Kaiba realized, horrified at himself. _I am such a fucking idiot!_

Yami folded his arms protectively over his chest and looked out onto the lake, watching the sunlight sparkle off its surface, unsure of what to say or how to react.

 _Apologize!_ Kaiba screamed at himself as he brushed the hair out of his eyes nervously. There was a long silence and Kaiba spoke hesitantly, "I'm sorry, I... wasn't paying attention."

Yami didn't move or say anything. _Yes_ , he thought darkly, _'Not paying attention' seems to be Kaiba's main catchphrase today._

Kaiba sighed softly and turned his gaze towards the mountains which were surrounding the lake, watching the sunlight reflect off of the city in the distance.

Yami watched Kaiba carefully and he couldn't help but think how handsome Kaiba looked, standing there in the afternoon sun with the wind ruffling back his light brown bangs. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he realized he still found Kaiba more attractive than Hiro, despite their remarkable similarities. Yami tore his gaze away from Kaiba's face and reached into his pocket, unconsciously palming his phone.

Kaiba turned to gesture towards the tall wooden building on stilts which sat hugging the boardwalk. "Let's eat. Are you hungry?" he asked Yami carefully, watching him gaze absentmindedly out across the lake.

"I suppose I am." Yami replied simply, looking up at Kaiba, his large eyes sparkled at him in the afternoon sun. Kaiba swallowed thinly and managed a small smile. Yami tilted his head curiously at him and nodded slightly, wondering why Kaiba was smiling so much today. It was strange.

As they walked down the boardwalk together, Yami fell a few paces behind Kaiba's long strides and he took this chance peek at his phone. There were no messages. Yami frowned, wondering why Hiro never initiated texts with him first, but he shook his head lightly, dismissing the thought as he hurried to catch up to Kaiba who was already at the entrance of the restaurant.

Kaiba glared at his own reflection in the door of the restaurant, waiting for Yami to catch up. He saw Yami check his phone and frown, and Kaiba guessed he was probably waiting for a text from his beloved Hiro, or he had just received bad news from Yugi.

Yami had just stepped up beside him when the door swung open and a pleasant, round faced woman ushered them in holding an armful of menus, smiling brightly.

"Welcome! Bar or window?" She asked, and her eyes widened as they darted back and forth between Kaiba and Yami. Kaiba realized she knew who they were and he scowled at her, hoping to portray that they wanted to be left alone for the duration of their meal.

"Window." Kaiba said shortly, folding his arms across his chest firmly. Yami looked up at Kaiba, wondering why his mood suddenly turned sour.

The woman led them over to a secluded corner and set the menus down gently on either side of the table and she hurried away silently. Kaiba sat down moodily, watching her go, hoping she wasn't going to alert the staff about their arrival.

Yami felt a jolt of excitement as he sat down across from Kaiba, and he glanced out through the crystal panes of glass next to their table, easily entertained by several paddle boats tied up against the dock. He watched them bob up and down on the water and noticed several boats out on the lake which he had not previously seen.

"You can take a boat?" Yami asked suddenly, more to himself than to anyone else.

Kaiba looked up from the menu and glanced out the window as well. "Looks like it," he commented and he watched Yami's eyes light up at the prospect.

"What would you like to eat?" Kaiba pressed; he was extremely hungry, realizing he hadn't eaten anything all day.

Yami glanced down at the menu and turned the pages over attentively, trying to find a familiar dish. His anxiety rose when he realized a lot of the dishes were titled in a strange language. Yami hesitated further when he realized almost everything on the menu was exorbitantly expensive. Yami reached the end of the menu and his heart almost stopped when he read the prices for desserts. _2,000 yen for a parfait?!*_ Yami reeled, that was more expensive than the parfaits from the cute cafes he had seen Anzu and Yugi purchase. In fact, wasn't a parfait...just some cream .. and?

Yami's face reddened when he unwittingly recalled Kaiba's strong hand gripping his jaw while force-feeding him cream.

Kaiba saw Yami tense across from him at the table and he frowned. He craned his neck trying to see what Yami was looking at which was causing him to act so flustered. He noticed Yami was on the desserts and Kaiba flipped to it promptly, scanning the page quickly. His gaze landed on the chocolate parfait sitting in the lower corner of the page.

 _Ah_ , Kaiba thought evilly, _is he thinking about_ that _?_

Before he could openly taunt Yami about it, the woman appeared beside their table and set two large glasses of water down in front of them. She pulled out a pad and sniffed, "What shall it be today?"

Kaiba appraised her carefully, and looked past her, glancing at the entire kitchen staff who were crowded behind the bar, staring at them apprehensively. Several runners were also peeking out from behind the flaps of the kitchen.  
All eyes were on their table.

Kaiba sighed and stated his order quietly, watching the lady scribble it down, he heard Yami hesitantly make his own order, blissfully unaware of the attention they were receiving.

The woman hurried away again and Kaiba leaned forwards on his elbows, clasping his hands across his face, obscuring his smirk as he watched Yami turn and face the window excitedly.

Yami was enjoying the view of the water immensely. He watched the reflections of several clouds float by, suddenly aware that Kaiba had been watching him the whole time.

Yami sat back in his seat and reached for his water, avoiding Kaiba's gaze. He was itching to ask about the incident earlier, but was unsure of how to broach the topic without being rude. Suddenly, an image of Kaiba knocking on the glass in his boxers floated across Yami's mind and he snorted into his water.

Kaiba looked at him, startled. "What is it?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Yami set his water down and tapped his lips with the napkin, biting back a laugh, "May I ask you about what happened earlier?" Yami placed the napkin back in his lap and kept his gaze focused on his glass of water.

"What happened earlier?" Kaiba asked, his mind was clouded with hunger.

Yami looked at him strangely, "When you were locked out? Care to tell me what that was about?"

 _Oh,_ Kaiba thought darkly _, Time to lie._

Keeping his face as expressionless as possible, Kaiba responded blandly, "What I do on my property, in my own time, is my business."

Yami nodded, realizing he wasn't going to get a straight answer. "I see." He said simply and he turned back to gaze out the window at the lake.

They sat together in pleasant silence until their food arrived. A waiter drifted over to their table carrying two, large steaming plates of food, setting a beautifully arranged plate of Greek Ziti in front of Yami. Yami's eyes widened at the array of colors on his plate, pleased with his choice. He picked up his fork eagerly and glanced over the table at Kaiba, watching him delicately cut into a strange, rectangular pastry which seemed to be stuffed with ..something he couldn't tell what.

Yami blinked and gazed down at his plate. He really wanted to ask what it was that Kaiba had ordered but he didn't want to risk breaking the silence. Sighing slightly, Yami dug into his plate, curious to try the flavors of this dish he'd never seen before. Yami was pleasantly surprised at the light tanginess and he found everything to be extremely flavorful, attributing the distinct taste to the wide array of colorful vegetables in his dish.

Yami chewed thoughtfully and stared quietly at Kaiba, who was cutting into his giant pastry.

Yami's curiosity got the better of him and he had to ask, "What are you eating?"

Kaiba took his time between bites before answering, "I believe it's called ...Spanakopita. It's just spinach and cheese."

"Sp-Spanako..pita." Yami struggled to repeat it; the word felt awkward on his tongue.

Kaiba felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. _Cute,_ he thought as he dipped his head back down and continued to eat enthusiastically.

Yami tilted his head curiously at Kaiba, watching him eat heartily. He had so many things he wanted to ask him, seeing as how they were finally not standing coldly across from each other by a desk, but under the friendly pretense of a meal.

Yami looked down at his food, his appetite waning. He set his fork down gently and folded his hands in his lap casually, watching Kaiba rounding off the rest of his pastry with a thoughtful bite.

Their eyes met and Kaiba managed a casual smile, tapping the napkin gently across his lips, he looked at Yami's half-finished plate, "You don't like it?" he asked, wondering if he should order something else for Yami.

Yami shook his head quickly and looked away, feeling the blood rush to his face, "No...thank you."

Kaiba nodded lightly, reaching for his water, he sipped it delicately, observing Yami from over the rim of the glass.

* * *

Anzu shifted her purse from one shoulder to the other, walking briskly across campus eager to get to her car. She crossed into the courtyard and paused when she saw a large crowd of students queued across the street at the bakery. A large, 'Grand Opening' sign in large chocolate letters hung across the windows and many people were loitering outside, chattering excitedly.

 _Ah, Hiro's bakery._ Anzu thought darkly, and she changed her course, heading directly across the street, wondering if she would catch a glimpse of him in action.

She checked her watch and guessed that Yami would probably be in class for another two hours, so she had time to do some investigating. Hiking her purse up higher, she pushed her way through the crowd to peer through the windows.

Anzu saw a tiny brunette girl working the register, happily pushing out boxes of neatly sliced cake towards customers as another large crowd of people obscured her view of the cake display. A taller man rushed out from the kitchen holding a large tray of cupcakes over his head. He bent down towards display, quickly refilling the empty slots as people clamored around the front clutching their phones, trying to take photos.

She watched the activity for a while before realizing Hiro must be working in the kitchen. Anzu grit her teeth and pushed her way into the store, bumping shoulders with several other students who threw her dirty looks as she brushed by.

"S-Sorry!" She called, wincing, gripping the strap of her bag tightly. Anzu craned her neck over the crowd of people in line at the register, trying to see into the kitchen. She quickly walked to the front of the line and stood visibly at the entrance of the double doors leading into the back.

The brunette cashier turned around, startled, "I'm sorry! You're not allowed back there! Please come back to the front!"

"I'm here to speak with Hiro,"

Anzu said, speaking over the commotion made by the line of grumbling customers who were eying her suspiciously.

The cashier faltered and the taller man burst through the double doors, carrying two bottles of water. He set one down in front of the girl and winked at her, "Keep it up June-bug, you're doing great!"

She nodded and smiled brightly back up at him, "Thanks Uncle J, um, this girl here says she's here to see Hiro." She gave Anzu a strange look and quickly turned to help the next customer in line.

Anzu put her hand up in a cautious wave, "Bad time, I'll come back later. You guys are clearly super busy."

"Well you're outta luck girlie, he's not here today." The man said, patting his brow lightly with the back of his hand.

Anzu's anxiety and suspicions rose when she heard this, "What? Doesn't he come every day?"

"Ah...yep, he was here earlier." The man said cryptically, "He spun out those beauties you see over there." He jerked his head over at the display of cakes and took a large swig of his water.

"I see." Anzu said, realizing Hiro's shift was probably over, and she turned to leave. "Thanks!"

"Wait wait," The man called hastily, "Tell me your name and I'll let him know you stopped by."

Anzu felt herself sweat and she smiled nervously back at the man, "That's okay. I was just stopping by to say hi. I'll come back tomorrow!"

The man frowned and capped his bottle quickly, "Are you family? No reason you can't tell me your name."

"I'm..not.." Anzu stopped herself, her mind racing, "I'm not family. I'm his girlfriend." Anzu said, slightly breathless. That was an obvious lie, but she needed to catch Hiro's attention seriously, sooner rather than later.

The man gripped the water bottle tightly and blinked at her.

The cashier girl stopped in her motions and glared at her for a brief second, "Aren't you the girl who's always with Yugi?"

"Yeah, doesn't mean I'm dating him, now does it?" Anzu shot back, "We're just friends."

The girl snorted and turned to smile brightly at the next customer. Her uncle wore a grave expression and gestured for Anzu to follow him through the kitchen doors.

He disappeared through the flaps and Anzu let her breath out quickly, realizing she had been holding it the entire time. Anzu noticed the cashier glare at her once more time before she ducked past the flaps, following the man into the back.

The man was in the far back, propping a door open that led into the alleyway behind the building and he jerked a thumb over to his left, pointing to the outside. Anzu nodded, hurrying past the steel counters, she brushed past him, stepping outside into hot summer air.

The man shut the door firmly behind them and the sound echoed ominously up and down the alleyway. A large white dog which was lounging on the concrete immediately jumped up and barked at them, tugging at the leash which was looped around a bike rack.

"Girlfriend huh?" The man squinted at her, frowning deeply. "Well, nice to meet you Girlfriend, my name is Jason. I'm the owner of this establishment and I don't appreciate this kind of behavior."

Anzu swallowed nervously, wondering if she should correct him. "Okay..well, ex.. girlfriend?" she said, hoping the man would let Hiro off easy; she didn't want to get him fired.

"I don't want any drama girlie, get to the point. What do you want?" The man asked testily, eyeing her headily, folding his arms across his chest. The dog barked at them loudly in the distance.

Anzu mirrored his body language and crossed her arms as well, "I was just stopping by to say hi. He's obviously not here, so I'll be leaving now. "

Jason sighed and brushed the back of his hand across his brow. These kids were driving him insane. "Okay, I've just about had enough of this screwing around here. You either tell me what you're really here for or I just might call campus security and report you for trespassing."

"You let me in here!" Anzu cried angrily, but she realized the truth might be the easiest way out. "I'm really worried about my friend, so I came by to see Hiro, hoping to maybe talk some sense into him."

Jason nodded, "Oh, that kid needs some sense alright. He ran out on me this morning, all crazy-eyed chasing his boyfriend, who I'm assuming, is the friend you're talking about."

Anzu narrowed her eyes, understanding that he was referring to Yami.  
"They went somewhere?" she asked slowly, watching the man's expression carefully.

Jason winced, realizing he may have said too much, "Ahhh, you know, I'm not sure. Hiro came in for work this morning, normal, and left in a hurry. And that's all I know."

"Right." Anzu said, and her throat constricted painfully, "Were they together? Did they leave together?"

Jason frowned, "Now look here, I just told you what I know, now scoot and go help your friend."

Anzu swallowed thinly and managed a tight smile, "Well, thank you. I appreciate your help." And she turned to leave.

"Wait!" the manager called again, "You're not really his girlfriend, are you?"

Anzu turned to face him and nodded, trying her best to apologize as quickly as possible, "I'm not his girlfriend. I'm sorry I lied. We're literally strangers, I just needed to do something that would get my message across to him quickly."

Jason nodded, unfolding his arms, he stared at Anzu, memorizing every detail of her face, "Well, message received. I'm guessing he doesn't need to hear about this?"

Anzu shook her head, "Yes! Oh, please don't tell him...please. I know that was incredibly rude of me.." she trailed her voice off anxiously and she glanced up the deserted alleyway, watching the fluffy white dog lick its paw.

"Alright." Jason growled, "Now get outta here. Don't come back unless it's something serious."

Anzu nodded and quickly hurried away. Jason watched her go and he frowned deeply again before heading back inside.

* * *

Yami had just set his fork down when his phone buzzed lightly in his pocket and his heart skipped a beat. Could that be Hiro texting him from after work? Yami tensed, waiting for it to stop, but it kept buzzing. He was getting a call! Yami fidgeted anxiously, wondering if it would it be rude to answer.

Kaiba had waived their waitress over and she came rushing to their table.

"We're finished here." Kaiba said, tracing the shape of a box with his long fingers and pointing at Yami's plate. The lady nodded and swept Yami's plate out from under his nose.

Yami blinked, surprised, but then seized this opportunity to speak, "Kaiba, I need to step outside for a moment."

Kaiba sipped his water carefully and frowned, "What's the reason?" he asked, his spirits sinking. Was he being terrible company?

"I apologize," Yami said quickly, feeling slightly embarrassed, "My phone is ringing and I'm not sure who it is..."

 _Probably Yugi_ , Kaiba thought darkly and he nodded brusquely, watching Yami gracefully push his chair back and place his folded napkin down on the table before hurrying out the front doors.

Yami's phone stopped ringing. He quickly dug it out of his pocket and was very surprised to see a missed call from Anzu. He stepped cautiously out onto the boardwalk and slid his finger across the screen, calling her back. She picked up on the first ring.

"Yami!" she cried, sounding stressed.

"Anzu..!" Yami responded, a bubble of concern rising in his chest. This call didn't sound like it was going to be good news. "Are you alright?"

"Are you...where are you right now?" Anzu said suddenly, sounding suspicious.

Yami felt his mouth go dry as he glanced around the deserted boardwalk, scrambling for the nearest lie, "Ah..I'm..-"

"Not in class?" She said finishing his sentence. "Are you out with Hiro?"

Yami blinked, surprised at the question, "What? I'm..not." He said quietly, making his way slowly towards the lakeside. _I'm with Kaiba, at a very beautiful location_ , Yami mused privately.

"Okay..." Anzu said slowly, letting out a breath. "So he's not with you, and he's not at work..."

Yami paused in his steps and said, "He gets off work around now."

Yami continued stepping carefully on each of the wooden planks, enjoying the rough texture scraping beneath his shoes. "I'm guessing you stopped by to see him?" he asked, knowing Anzu probably did, given her concern for him in their conversation last night.

"Yea, but, it doesn't matter." Anzu said quickly, "I'll catch him some other day."

Out of the corner of his eye, Yami saw Kaiba's tall figure exit the restaurant, striding quickly towards him. He panicked slightly and moved closer towards the water's edge while Anzu kept talking in his ear.

"Yami?" Anzu said, her voice rising, "Where are you right now? Are you at Kaiba Cor-"

"I can't talk right now, Anzu. I'll see you later." Yami said, cutting across her hastily, and he hung up the phone guiltily as Kaiba's footsteps caught up with his.

Kaiba heard Yami say Anzu's name and his blood ran cold. What did that bitch want now? It wasn't enough for her to ruin his relationship from afar, but she had to interrupt his limited time with Yami, with a call?

Yami recognized the look on Kaiba's face and quickly hid the phone back in his pocket.

"She's just worried about me." he said, hoping he wouldn't have to explain himself too much.

Kaiba couldn't trust himself to speak so he turned his gaze out over the water, forcing himself to calm down. _That bitch better fucking worry about herself!_ Kaiba fumed, briefly considering having her followed, just so it would give him peace of mind.

Yami watched Kaiba clench and unclench his fists at his sides and Yami sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"Thank you for the meal." Yami said, hoping to diffuse the situation. "I really like it here. It's so peaceful, and...I can see our city!" He pointed at the glimmering clump of tall buildings across the lake.

Kaiba nodded and stayed silent, wondering how he could politely ask about the call.

Yami watched Kaiba blink and nod, his gaze fixated on something in the distance and Yami realized Kaiba was still angry about the call from Anzu.

"Well if you must know," Yami said slowly, "She went to visit Hiro at the bakery but he had already left."

Kaiba saw the lake tilt and shift in his vision and he swayed dangerously on the spot, his mind spiraling out of control with frantic thoughts. She went to the bakery to find him?! Shit. Then she must've spoken with Jason or June, who both clearly knew that he left his shift 5 hours early...to follow Yami. And Yami was here, with him, but he was currently dressed as Kaiba, and not Hiro.

"And?" Kaiba whispered, "Did she say where he went?"

Yami frowned at the odd question, "Why would he be anywhere but at home? His shift was over. She missed him."

 _Oh thank god.._.Kaiba blinked slowly and took in a deep breath. A wave of relief washed over him when he realized Anzu didn't actually know anything. He decided to keep his silence and he gazed out at the water, biding his time.

Yami saw Kaiba visibly relax and he nodded slightly, satisfied, knowing that he had read Kaiba's actions correctly. All Yami wanted was a peaceful ending to the afternoon. The last thing he wanted was for Kaiba to storm off in a fit of anger, stranding him at the lake without any means of proper transportation back into the city. He would then have even more awkward explaining to do, while he called Anzu or Yugi...

The silence stretched on as they stood together at the edge of the boardwalk, neither of them speaking. The shallow waves from the lake lapped happily at the wooden pillars beneath them and Kaiba looked over at Yami, waiting for him to speak. He watched as the wind lightly ruffled Yami's spiky blonde bangs and Kaiba ached to reach out and touch them. His eyes trailed over Yami's forehead and down past his nose, landing on Yami's soft, pink lips. Kaiba wanted to kiss him so badly right then.

 _Do it!_ A voice in his head screamed, _and he'll instantly know you are Hiro. He'll understand...!_

Yami could feel Kaiba's gaze on him and he turned to face him suspiciously.

"What?" Yami asked slowly, his eyes darted calculatingly over Kaiba's face. Kaiba was wearing the strangest expression, one which Yami had never seen before. Was he still angry about the call? No...this was..different.

"I want to kiss you." Kaiba said suddenly, growing numb as he regretted the words almost instantly.

Yami blushed furiously as he took a few steps away from Kaiba, his back knocked painfully into the metal railing behind him.

 _Where is this strange behavior coming from?!_ Yami thought frantically, glancing up and down the deserted boardwalk.

Kaiba watched Yami back away instantly and he felt his stomach twist violently. This was bad. That was not a good reaction.

"No." Yami said, nodding firmly once. And then he stopped himself. Nodding meant yes. Yami shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling his face grow extremely hot. He looked out across the lake, letting the reflection of the sun burn into his eyes. Yami felt as though he was betraying Hiro's trust. And then Yami suddenly remembered, the reason he had come to see Kaiba in the first place, was to get his autograph for Hiro!

 _Oh, I am in trouble._ Yami realized, trying to avoid Kaiba's gaze at all costs.

Meanwhile, Kaiba's heart was racing a thousand beats per minute. He had just heard heard Yami say no but saw him nod his head oddly. Which was it?! Yes or no?!

He watched Yami open his mouth to speak, "There is something I would like to ask you." Yami said slowly, staring down at the tips of Kaiba's shiny shoes.

"What is it?" Kaiba asked impatiently, crossing his arms in attempt to restrain himself. There must be another way to convince Yami to kiss him.

"I need you to, perhaps, sign something..?" Yami said, his voice rising hopefully, lifting his head and looking directly into Kaiba's eyes.

Kaiba blinked and his vision shifted slightly. Ah, that. And he thanked himself for the fail-safe he had put in place earlier.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Yami pressed, "Anything on a piece of paper would do."

"Gladly," Kaiba said, biting back a laugh. "How many do you need?"

Yami was taken aback by the question; he didn't except Kaiba to be so cooperative.

"I...only need one." Yami said, his face becoming even redder than it was previously.

Kaiba noticed this and smirked triumphantly, "Then, I'll give you one. In exchange..."

Yami heard the word 'exchange' and his stomach swooped downwards as Kaiba suddenly leaned in dangerously close to him.

Keeping his arms tightly folded, knowing he couldn't trust himself, Kaiba bent down and pressed his forehead firmly against Yami's, relishing in the feel of Yami's bangs brushing across his cheeks.

"One kiss... for one signature." Kaiba said, grinning gleefully, breathing in Yami's unique scent as he rested his nose along the curve of Yami's forehead.

Yami stiffened and tried backing up again, but realized he was pushed against the railing as far back as he could go.

"No." Yami insisted frantically, as Kaiba's hot breath moved down along his cheek, "I can't kiss you."

"You can't?" Kaiba repeated, shaking his head slightly, almost nuzzling his nose across Yami's forehead, "Or you don't want to? There's a difference." Kaiba wanted to unfold his arms and cup Yami's face in his hands, and press their lips together. He wanted Yami's warmth and softness against him, but he held himself back. He needed Yami to feel the same way.

Kaiba felt Yami's eyelashes flutter right below his lips and he held his breath, waiting.

Yami reached his hands up and shoved Kaiba away from him with all of his strength and Kaiba stumbled back clumsily, his head spinning violently.

"No." Yami said, more firmly this time. He took several deep breaths and quickly regained his composure. "I will not betray Hiro's trust..! Your signature, I can take it or leave it." Yami said savagely, watching Kaiba run a frustrated hand though his light brown hair.

"Hiro...again?" Kaiba hissed, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was tired of hearing that name come out of Yami's mouth. What the hell did he do, as Hiro, that managed to sway Yami so fucking much?

"Yes," Yami replied, his chest constricting painfully again, "I'm asking on his behalf."

"I see," Kaiba said heavily, glaring at Yami, "Well he'll be awfully disappointed you didn't get my signature now, won't he? You don't want that."

Yami clenched his fists and turned away from Kaiba's hateful glare, "He will understand. Especially given what you're asking in return for a signature, he would even thank me for refusing-I'm sure."

 _Oh I'm so thankful right now,_ Kaiba railed sarcastically to himself, attempting to keep his temper in check. Yami was being difficult, this was nothing new.

"You're always so sure!" Kaiba fumed, trying to keep his voice down, "How can you always be so sure? Can you read his mind? You don't know the first thing about him!"

Yami looked offended as he responded, "I know enough. Don't go acting like you know anything about him, Kaiba!"

"Right, right." Kaiba said as he turned his back on Yami, taking shallow, even breaths. _Can't we have one normal conversation where one of us isn't shouting at the other?_ Kaiba thought painfully as he kept his gaze firmly on the lake, watching a couple happily paddle-boating in the distance.

 _Honesty and trust, that's what Yami values._ Kaiba thought darkly. _Hiro has neither of those qualities._

He turned around once more to try again, but realized Yami had walked away. His figure was almost at the other end of the boardwalk and Kaiba cursed, hurrying to catch up.

Yami heard the clicking of Kaiba's shoes steadily grow louder behind him and he quickened his pace, keen on getting back to the car. He felt a strong hand wrap firmly around his wrist and Yami struggled to keep walking forwards, almost dragging Kaiba's weight along behind him.

"Stop..wait." Kaiba said, and his mouth went dry as Yami ignored him, continuing to pull forwards stubbornly, refusing to look at him.

"Look, Yami...I need to tell you something." Kaiba said urgently, hoping that saying his name would make him stop struggling, which it did, thankfully. But Yami still didn't turn around to look at him.

"Let go." Yami said darkly, and he twisted his wrist out from Kaiba's grasp. Kaiba released him and they stood together in silence as Kaiba's mind raced for a peaceful solution.

"So, say it." Yami said, crossing his arms firmly, with his back still resolutely turned towards Kaiba.

Kaiba felt numb and he tried to steady his voice as he spoke, "I like you, I really do. Please believe me." He watched Yami's shoulders shake slightly and he dared to feel hopeful.

Yami turned around slowly; he couldn't believe his ears. His eyes swept over Kaiba's face and he was once again wearing an expression Yami had never seen before.

"You like me..." Yami repeated slowly, feeling strangely hollow. Why didn't this news make him extremely happy? There was a giant difference between how he felt now and how he felt every time Hiro smiled at him.

"Yes, I do!" Kaiba insisted, "And..you, you like me too, I know it. So stop all this nonsense with Hiro."

Kaiba looked pained and stressed...his actions were clearly hurting him. Yami felt a rush of dizziness as Kaiba's words echoed around in his head and he slowly began to understand. Kaiba had brought him all the way out here, to tell him how he felt..this was..a confession!

Yami unfolded his arms and reached out to steady himself against the metal railing.

"My nonsense, with Hiro?" Yami was tired of hearing Kaiba belittle his relationship with Hiro, and if Kaiba did like him, this confession was a little too late.

"Kaiba, I'll tell you right now," Yami said deeply, "I respect and admire you as well, but..I..-" Yami paused, realizing that what he was about to say could destroy any remaining chances he would ever have with Kaiba.

"What." Kaiba said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. The couple had finished their paddle boating on the other side of the lake and were now tying their boat up at the pier, hand-in-hand, laughing merrily at each other's jokes.

"You what?" Kaiba pressed, thoroughly annoyed now.

He watched Yami blink his large eyes at him and open his mouth to speak once more, "I..love..Hiro."

Kaiba felt his world shatter.

No. NO. This can't be happening. Kaiba stood very still, staring at Yami who looked surprised, even pleased with himself for admitting his feelings for Hiro out loud.

"You...do _not._ " Kaiba growled, lowering his arms and clenched his fists at his sides.

"I do..!" Yami said faintly, looking past him and into the distance. "I suppose this is what love feels like. I love him." He said clearly, and Kaiba felt like screaming.

Kaiba pinched his brow together with his fingers. How could he have fucked things up this badly? First, he was hearing a confession from Yami saying he had liked him for years, but he was dressed as Hiro then. And now, he was fully and completely himself, but Yami was insisting he loved...Hiro!

Kaiba lowered his hand and he grew heavy with exhaustion, "Have you ever..felt anything for me?" he asked dully, dreading the answer.

Yami paused, and hesitated before answering, "I suppose...I did, but we were always too far apart."

"And now?" Kaiba asked painfully, raising his head to look Yami full in the face.

"Now?" Yami repeated anxiously, "Now I have Hiro. I enjoy his company immensely."

 _Oh my god_ , Kaiba reeled. _Can this stop?! That's it. Hiro is gone. If I hear Yami say that name one more goddamn time I swear I will jump off this pier right now._

Yami watched as Kaiba stared over his head, blinking deliberately. He recognized this as fury and he backed away slowly, turning around to head back to the car.

"I won't give up so easily." Kaiba said numbly, making an effort to keep his face straight, "You can keep chasing your idiotic little crush. I'll always be here, my feelings won't change that easily."

Yami nodded without turning around, feeling slightly relieved that he had made his point. Kaiba always stubborn as ever, but at least they had finally come to an understanding.

Yami paused and stared down at the wooden planks underneath his feet and felt his knees tremble weakly. He couldn't believe what he was doing. He was actually walking away from Kaiba who was openly confessing to him.

"Did you hear me, Yami? My feelings...they will _never_ change" Kaiba said, raising his voice. He saw Yami nod, but he needed a verbal confirmation.

Yami felt his breath hitch in his throat as his eyes began to heat up with emotion.

 _I could have it all,_ Yami thought dimly, blinking tightly, willing himself not to cry, _I could have it all right now! I could turn around and tell Kaiba that I feel the same way...but that would be a lie..! Wouldn't it?_

"Yami?" Kaiba repeated, striding forward and grabbing Yami by the wrist again, shaking him slightly, "Tell me you heard me."

Yami turned to face Kaiba tearfully, "Yes I heard you. And I'm sorry."

Kaiba tightened his grip and then let go.

 _He's sorry?!_ Kaiba repeated in his head, _Well, not as sorry as he'll be when his precious Hiro disappears_. _Then, with nowhere else to go, he'll_ _have to_ _turn back to me._

He gazed into Yami's large eyes and resisted the urge to wipe the single tear that was running down his face. Kaiba brushed past Yami and crossed the rest of the boardwalk quickly, making his way down the dirt path and back to his car without waiting to see if Yami was following him.

* * *

*2,000 yen = roughly 18 USD (for Yami's parfait)

**Author's note:**

When will Seto decide to come clean? How will he do it? Will he manage to make Hiro disappear quietly?

When I fall down, stumble, or have writer's block, Seket picks me up and hugs me. #BestEditorOnThePlanet

To all my faithful review-writing readers, thank you! Your words give me strength! Please look forward to the next chapter!

*If anyone is interested in an omake (bonus/extra) chapter at the end of this fic (the end is near!) which includes all of Seket's witty edits, please leave me a note either here in a review, or reach me on tumblr!

hugs and kisses,  
Ugli

**Chapter 13 Preview:**

Kaiba approached his car and leaned against it, trembling with rage and humiliation.

Yami hurried off the boardwalk to catch up with Kaiba, his anxiety rising, worried that Kaiba would leave without him. To his relief, he saw Kaiba standing moodily beside the car, his arms and legs tightly crossed in front of him.

Yami stood hesitantly by the front of the car, wondering if he should say something.

Kaiba heard Yami approach and he glared at the dirt, outraged.

Yami stepped a bit closer, watching Kaiba carefully. He needed Kaiba to unlock the car so that he could get in; he had to tread carefully if he wanted a ride home.


	12. Look! I'm flying upside down!

Kaiba approached his car and leaned against it, trembling with rage and humiliation.

Yami hurried off the boardwalk to catch up with Kaiba, his anxiety rising, worried that Kaiba would leave without him. To his relief, he saw Kaiba standing moodily beside the car, his arms and legs tightly crossed in front of him.

Yami stood hesitantly by the front of the car, wondering if he should say something.

Kaiba heard Yami approach and he glared at the dirt, outraged.

Yami stepped a bit closer, watching Kaiba carefully. He needed Kaiba to unlock the car so that he could get in; he had to tread carefully if he wanted a ride home.

"What can I do make you change your mind?" Kaiba growled, dragging the heel of his shoe forcefully across the dirt, trying to keep his anger in check.

"I've made up my mind." Yami replied firmly, crossing his arms as well, feeling a pang of guilt shoot through chest. If he hadn't met Hiro, this conversation could've went in an entirely different direction.

"Well ...reconsider!" Kaiba fumed as he went on a frenzied rant, "If you want something, you can have it. If you want to, we could visit a different country every night and be back by morning! You could live in constant luxury and dine like a king. I can fill your closets with the finest fabrics you've ever seen, and all you have to do, is tell me."

Kaiba glared viciously at Yami, who was looking at him with an expression of great sorrow.

"Kaiba..I...I'm sorry." Yami whispered, feeling his legs grow steadily weaker beneath him. He saw Kaiba blink and wear a strangely pained expression.

Kaiba felt cold all over as he fumbled for his keys and unlocked the car.

He pulled the door open and leaned against the frame, taking slow, painful breaths. His vision began to blur as he felt a strange pressure building behind his eyes.

 _Keep it together_ , Kaiba chanted at himself, _keep it fucking together_.

Yami heard the car doors unlock and he hastily yanked the passenger side door open and clambered inside quickly. Pulling the door shut beside himself, he glanced over to his left, wondering why Kaiba was still standing outside the car.

 _This is fucking ridiculous_ , Kaiba thought as he sat himself down into the driver's seat, _the solution is simple and it'll only take a day to fix._

He shoved the keys into the ignition and the car roared to life. Without glancing behind him, Kaiba backed out of the spot and sped off, the car's wheels kicking up huge plumes of dust and smoke as he floored the pedal.

Yami gripped his knees tightly. Now he was afraid. Kaiba's rage was formidable and he was trapped in a powerful vehicle with a very angry Kaiba; was his safety at risk?

Kaiba gripped the wheel and pushed the car forcefully down the curve of the mountain, hugging the edge of the cliff dangerously. He heard the sharp clacking of tree branches hitting the edge of his window and he ignored it, continuing to sharply accelerate downwards.

Yami snuck a peek out his window and gulped. They were very high up. Kaiba was becoming more and more aggressive with every turn they made. Yami's body tilted from side to side as Kaiba maneuvered the car roughly down the slope. Another car whizzed by, honking frantically as it passed alarmingly close to Yami's window.

The sound trailed sharply beside Yami's ear and fear shot through him like a shard of ice, paralyzing him in his seat.

"Kaiba! Slow down...!" Yami shouted over the deafening roar of the engine, his fingers digging painfully into his knees.

Kaiba dimly heard Yami cry out beside him and his voice shocked Kaiba to his senses. He slammed his foot down furiously onto the brakes, the back tires skidding as they drifted to a stop at the side of the road.

Yami threw Kaiba a fierce look, "What do you think you're doing?! Are you trying to get us killed?"

 _Ha, if only dying were so easy._ Kaiba thought as he gripped the wheel so tightly his knuckles hurt, _I guess it would be nice if I were dead. Then this nightmare would end. Death..._

Kaiba let out a slow breath as his shoulders sagged back against the seat. Now that he thought about it, wasn't Yami supposed to be some kind of...ancient spirit?

"Kaiba..." Yami started, his mind racing as he spoke, choosing his words carefully.

Kaiba blinked. His ears registered the sound of Yami's voice speaking but he didn't hear a word of it. He stared intently at the ridges of the leather stitching on his steering wheel as Yami's voice mixed in with the rumble of the idling engine.

 _What the hell am I doing?_ Kaiba thought dully _, This man, who calls himself Yami, who is sitting here beside me, who is speaking to me right now, isn't he supposed to be dead?!_

Kaiba's ears started to ring painfully as he grappled with the idea of being in love with this man, a dead one at that. He had just confessed his true feelings and intentions but it was thrown back in his face without a second thought, and it was all his own damn fault.

Another car whooshed by, dangerously close, loudly honking at them. Kaiba slowly released his grip on the wheel and crept his fingers across the dashboard to activate the hazard lights.

Yami watched as Kaiba sank back into the seat, sitting very still as though he were in a trance. He wasn't sure Kaiba had heard a single word he said. A nervous lump rose up in Yami's throat as he reached deliberately into his pocket, his fingers grazing over the edge of his phone. Yami looked out his window, realizing he was trapped in the car. There was a sheet of rock looming upwards right beside his door.

Yami swallowed. If he managed to open the door, he would be trapped between a half-open door and the cliff. Yami tensed and he sat back in his seat, deciding against it.

Kaiba looked over at Yami, who was staring at him, wide-eyed and slightly fearful. Yami could feel Kaiba's icy stare pierce through his entire being, and the silence in the car stretched, with only the sound of the idling engine echoing around them.

Yami finally couldn't take it anymore and he looked away first, his face heating up strangely.

 _Of course, only Kaiba could make me feel this way_ , Yami thought heavily as the heat from his face traveled down his arms all way to the ends of his fingertips.

Suddenly, Kaiba's hands fell off the steering wheel and onto his lap. Yami held his breath, waiting.

 _"You_...!" Kaiba hissed, feeling every breath become harder to take in as he gathered his strength.

Yami blinked at Kaiba, his anxiety rising. That sounded like an accusation. Yami started to reply but Kaiba spoke over him, his words impulsive, sounding almost frantic.

"You, you... don't know how much...you drive me absolutely _insane._ " Kaiba said, his hands tightening over the wheel again as the words came rushing out of his mouth, "From the first day we met, I could sense you. You left an imprint upon my soul but I refused to take it in, my brain refused it, for I am a man of science, facts, logic ...! And my suspicions haunted me day and night; it was an endless cycle of torture."

A gasp caught painfully in Yami's chest as he struggled to piece together Kaiba's words which came rushing over him unexpectedly. Kaiba had completely let his guard down and it was as though a mental plug had been pulled, as every thought, feeling, and burden was being divulged without warning.

Yami opened his mouth to speak once more but Kaiba wasn't finished ranting.

"Every time I saw Yugi...I knew it wasn't Yugi. Do you know just how _maddening_ that was?!" Kaiba shouted as he glared fiercely, his eyes boring intensely into Yami.

Kaiba knew he was yelling but he didn't care; he couldn't control himself any longer. He needed Yami to know this, he needed Yami to understand that his words meant something.

"I ...see." Yami managed to choke out as he blinked rapidly, attempting to keep his composure.

 _Kaiba has been aware of my presence!_ Yami thought blurrily as his heart began pounding loudly through his ears.

"So," Kaiba said, taking a deep breath, managing to calm himself down sufficiently enough to speak at a lower volume, "All I want to say is, I wish to spend more time with you. Is that possible?"

Yami felt stricken as he tried to speak once more, "Kaiba...I-"

"You don't have to reciprocate my feelings." Kaiba said through clenched teeth, feeling another jolt of rage violently sear through his body at this lie, "All I'm asking, is just more time ...with you."

Kaiba leaned forwards and clicked the hazard lights off. He lifted his foot off the brake pedal and placed his hands on the steering wheel. Throwing a halfhearted glance in the rear view mirror, he eased the car back onto the road.

Yami sat in stunned silence as he watched the scenery rush by outside his window. Kaiba's driving had eased up and was no longer rough and aggressive. They sped down the rest of the mountain in silence and Yami watched as Kaiba pulled the car effortlessly onto the highway, passing seamlessly though the other cars in traffic.

Yami stole a glance over at Kaiba and swallowed nervously, contemplating Kaiba's request. Yami wasn't sure if he should spend more time with Kaiba if he was going to act this recklessly.

Kaiba's handsome features were twisted into a sour expression while his hands gripped the wheel tightly. Yami leaned back in his seat and looked resolutely out the window, feeling terrible, wondering if there was anything he could say to help remedy the situation. He couldn't think of anything, so they rode the rest of the way to the game shop in tense silence, with the occasional roar of the engine cutting noisily through the cabin.

Kaiba pulled the car roughly around the corner behind the game shop and parked haphazardly in a spot, too angry to give a shit.

Yami felt the car lurch to a stop and he shot his hand out immediately, reaching for the door handle. To his intense horror, the door locks clicked ominously into place, trapping him inside the car.

Yami whirled around and faced Kaiba, trying to keep his fear and rage contained, "Kaiba, open the door!"

Kaiba stared resolutely out over the dashboard, his eyes fixed on the blank wall in front of them, "Not until you give me an answer." he said quietly. He could feel Yami's glare burning a hole through his skin as the silence stretched dreadfully.

"I already gave you my answer." Yami said stiffly, miffed. "Now let me out."

Kaiba grit his teeth, realizing Yami had misunderstood him. "I want to spend more time with you. Can we do that?" Kaiba held his breath, knowing this was the worst possible way he could present this question and receive a positive answer.

"I'll have to see." Yami responded tiredly, wondering if there was any answer he could give that was acceptable. This was classic Kaiba behavior: Threatening, irritable, and selfish.

Kaiba reached his hand over to release the door lock and Yami's eyes followed his movements hopefully. His fingers hovered over the button and Kaiba felt Yami tense.

Kaiba turned his head to face Yami, meeting his dark violet gaze for the first time since they had parked, "If you won't come to see me..." Kaiba threatened, "I will come to you."

Yami swallowed thickly as his anxiety peaked at an all time high, "I-I'm not sure that would be a good idea..." he whispered while images of a distressed Yugi and a furious Anzu flashed across his mind as he envisioned Kaiba standing at the entrance of the game shop day after day. He was definitely in trouble.

Kaiba saw Yami's gaze shift between him and his hand hovering over the lock button and he sighed. There was no use in threatening Yami now that his mind was already made up, and any promises made under hostile pretenses were not going to work in his favor.

Kaiba quickly released the locks, knowing his threats were in bad taste.

Yami heard the locks click open suddenly and he lunged for the door without a second thought. He climbed out of the car and hastily slammed the door.

Kaiba watched Yami rush into the game shop, feeling a heavy sense of unease settle over his shoulders. He saw Yami slam the front door shut and Kaiba sighed, pulling out of the parking spot, he revved the engine and sped off towards his mansion.

* * *

Yami angrily shut the door behind him so hard the shutters rattled.

Yugi and Anzu looked up from their magazine, startled.

"Yami..!" Yugi said happily, rushing forwards and bringing him into a tight hug. Yami's pulse was still racing from his residual fury at Kaiba's behavior, he stood still and didn't reciprocate.

"What's the matter?" Yugi asked, frowning deeply. "Does this have to do with..." He turned to face Anzu who was leaning against the counter with her arms firmly crossed.

Yami didn't hear a word anyone said. He was stuck inside his own head, incensed.

"Yami, we're going to Hiro's apartment." Anzu said sternly, "Yugi, I don't think you should come. It might be better if it was just me and Yami."

As soon as Yami heard Hiro's name, his head swam and he refocused. "What?" he said faintly, gripping the phone inside his pocket tightly.

Anzu pulled her car keys out from her purse and glared, "You heard me. We're going to find out what he does in his free time. I'm sure you've wondered that as well Yami."

The room began to tilt and he suddenly felt unwell. He had just come from an exhausting outing with Kaiba, and now he had to face Hiro, acting like nothing was wrong, when in fact, everything was wrong.

"I need..to use the washroom." Yami said numbly, and he stumbled forwards through the game shop.

"I'll wait in the car." Anzu said nodding, turning to leave.

Yami barely heard her as he pushed his way into the house and didn't bother to take off his shoes. He heard Yugi yell something at him from behind, but he ignored it, barreling his way up the stairs and throwing himself into the bathroom, locking the door firmly.

He leaned his back on the door heavily, taking deep ragged breaths as he slowly slid himself down into a sitting position on the floor. Yami felt the fabric of his blazer rub roughly upwards and his head knocked painfully back against the wood as he sat on the cold stone floor.

 _Kaiba...!_ Yami thought shakily, palming his face in his hands. _I'm being selfish, and so unfair towards Kaiba._

Yami tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling, willing himself to stay calm. He needed to look presentable for Hiro. He tugged his phone out of his pocket and slowly typed out a text, "Hiro, I will be stopping by to see you. Anzu will be with me, I hope you won't mind."

He read it over twice and sent it. Yami watched the text bubble up on the screen and he waited for the tiny text to appear beneath it indicating Hiro had seen the text. It stayed blank. Yami frowned and contemplated calling, knowing that it would be rude to show up unexpectedly at the door of his apartment. Sighing heavily, Yami composed another text, "I apologize, I know this is quite sudden..." and he sent it.

Yami waited, staring intently at the phone. Nothing. The texts had not been read. Yami clicked his phone shut and let it fall to the ground with a loud clatter.

 _Kaiba..._ Yami thought weakly, _Kaiba says he wishes to spend more time with me_. _He knows I am not Yugi. In fact, it seems as though he calls me Yugi just to see me react..._

Yami stared down at his dark phone screen, eyeing the tiny chrome KC logo in the upper right corner.

 _He was being generous_ , Yami thought dully while firmly pressing an index finger over the logo so hard, it imprinted onto his skin.

Yami lifted his hand and looked glumly at the "KC" dent pressed into his finger and his thoughts lingered towards the black shirt with golden embroidery hanging on the chair in his room. Yami realized that the gifts were meant to sway him.

 _I suppose.. Kaiba's unusually charitable behavior now has an explanation,_ Yami sighed. He stood up and dusted himself off gently, quickly stepping out of his shoes. He walked over to the sink and switched the faucet on while carefully examining his appearance in the mirror. Dark circles framed his large angular eyes and Yami blinked at himself again, watching the shadows grow deeper as he lowered his head.

Yami cupped the cold water in his hands and splashed his face quickly, letting the icy feeling of the water shock him awake. He shut his eyes tightly as the water stung.

 _I love Hiro,_ Yami thought to himself vigorously, rubbing the cold water over his cheeks _, I even said it ...to Kaiba._

Yami switched the faucet off and shook the water out of his spiky blonde bangs. He raised his head to look at himself in the mirror again and he felt his mind clear.

 _All I have left to do, is tell Hiro I feel this way_. Yami thought resolutely as he reached for a towel and gently patted his face dry. His phone buzzed loudly at him from the floor and Yami rushed over to pick it up, hoping it was Hiro returning a text message.

Reading the screen, his spirits fell as he realized it was a call from Anzu. He picked up the call, "Yes, Anzu. I'll be right down."

"Are you okay?" Anzu asked, sounding concerned. "No hurry, Yugi and I are just worried about you. You've been up there for a long time."

"I'm..." Yami scrambled for a lie, "I'm getting changed. I won't be much longer." And he hung up the phone swiftly. Yami swept his shoes up from the ground and he yanked the bathroom door open, hurrying into his room.

He spotted the shirt hanging off the back of his chair, right where he had left it. Yami quickly dropped his shoes, tugged off his blazer and peeled off his undershirt, throwing them carelessly onto his bed. He reached for the shirt and slid his arms through the sleeves, the cold silk rubbing against his skin gave him goosebumps and Kaiba's face, wearing that strange painful expression hovered at the front of his mind.

Yami hastily buttoned up the shirt with immense guilt. He left the top two buttons undone as he flipped the collar up around his neck purposefully. Yami left the shirt untucked and the shirt tails hung comfortably above his second belt; he couldn't help but take a moment to marvel at how well the shirt actually fit.

Barely glancing at himself in the mirror, Yami picked his shoes up once more and hurried down the stairs, his phone buzzing insistently in his pocket. He knew that was Anzu calling him once more so he ignored it and rushed through the adjourning door leading into the game shop.

Yami paused at the doorway to slip his shoes back on and Yugi looked up from the counter, frowning at him. Yami was dressed unusually well.

"Hey!" Yugi cried, "Where did you get that shirt?! I saw it on your chair this morning. When did you find the time to go shopping?"

Yami ignored him and moved towards the door of the game shop, keen to get Anzu to stop calling him.

"Don't ignore me!" Yugi said angrily, his voice rising, "Tell me where you got that shirt!"

Yami's phone started buzzing in his pocket again and he could feel a slight headache coming on. He rested his hand lightly on the doorknob, feeling extremely tired, knowing he didn't have the energy to lie to Yugi.

"Yami!" Yugi said, rushing over towards him and grabbing him by the shoulders, shaking him slightly, "What's gotten into you?"

Yami took a deep shuddering breath, "Kaiba. I got it from Kaiba, alright?"

Yugi's eyes widened considerably as he heard this and his arms dropped heavily down to his sides.

Yami turned the doorknob and stepped outside, throwing Yugi a meaningful look over his shoulder, "We'll talk." he said, and he hurried over towards Anzu's idling car which was parked alongside the curb.

Yugi sighed as he pulled the door shut, watching Anzu's car drive off into the distance.

* * *

Kaiba parked his Ferrari angrily back into it's designated spot in his garage and he stormed out of the car, loudly slamming the door. The sound echoed around in the spacious garage and he headed back into the house, quietly making his way through the living room and out into the garden.

To his relief, the crumpled bundle of clothes hiding his two phones were still right where he'd left them. Kaiba swept everything up into his arms and rushed into the house, taking the stairs three at a time back into his office. He slammed the door behind him and threw the clothes into an empty space at the floor of his closet, not caring if he made a mess.

He was too angry at everything, he needed something to do.

Kaiba checked his company phone, finding a flood of messages from his personal calendar notifications and his secretary as usual. Sighing in disgust Kaiba quickly switched on Hiro's phone, watching his logo flash across the screen as it loaded.

His heart leapt up into his throat when he saw he had two text messages from Yami. Kaiba swiped a slender finger across the screen and read the texts hurriedly.

"Hiro, I will be stopping by to see you. Anzu will be with me, I hope you won't mind."

 _Oh...FUCK that nosy bitch!_ Kaiba felt his blood run cold as he read the following text underneath. "I apologize, I know this is quite sudden.."

Kaiba felt as though he could breathe fire. Were they on their way now?! But he had just gotten back home for fuck's sake!

 _No..!_ Kaiba thought angrily, _I'm not playing this game Yami._

He hit the call button without hesitation and waited for Yami to pick up. The phone rang all the way through and the automated voice drifted through from the other end.

 _What the fucking hell?!_ Kaiba fumed, _Why isn't he picking up my call? I literally dropped him off not 10 minutes ago. Am I calling as Hiro?!_

Kaiba pulled the phone away from his face to check the model-yes it was Hiro's phone, he wasn't mistakenly calling Yami as Kaiba, so why the hell wasn't he picking up?

He hit re-dial and waited, knowing he was wasting precious seconds. That bitch Anzu was probably already halfway to the apartment with Yami in the passenger seat, giving her directions.

No answer.

"God...FUCKING...DAMN IT!" Kaiba screamed, slamming his palms painfully down onto his desk. He felt like hitting something, throwing something.

Mokuba came bursting into the room without knocking, "Seto, what's wrong! When did you get back?"

"Just..now! And..everything!" Kaiba enunciated, feeling every single muscle in his body tense.

Mokuba looked stricken, "What..did something bad happen while you were out with Yami?"

Kaiba took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. "You could say that."

Mokuba glanced around the room uncertainly, looking at the two phones on Seto's desk to the pile of crumpled clothes laying on the floor of the closet. Seto seemed to be going crazy.

"Wanna...watch a movie with me?" Mokuba asked hopefully, trying to resolve the situation any way he could, "I'll let you pick which one this time!"

"I can't..watch a movie with you right now Mokuba." Kaiba said, gritting his teeth, glaring at Hiro's phone. "I need to get changed. _Again!_ " And with that, he stormed off into the bathroom and slammed the door shut so ferociously the crystals on the chandelier rattled.

Mokuba stood very still, stunned, trying to process what was happening.

 _Seto is changing back again? Into...Hiro?!_ Mokuba thought worriedly, _But why?!_

The two phones gleamed at him on Seto's desk and Mokuba grabbed the older version quickly, tapping in Seto's password from memory. The screen opened into a chat with the unknown number, who Mokuba now knew was Yami, and he read the texts quickly.

 _Seto has an apartment?!_ Mokuba thought frantically, _That's how far he went with this..Hiro persona?! Gosh..._

He quickly set the phone back onto the desk as he heard the door handle turn.  
A tall, black haired stranger strode out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. A strangely fresh scent wafted through the room as the bathroom door slowly panned open.

Mokuba shook his head and blinked, wondering when he would ever get used to it. Was Seto wearing cologne again? He watched as Seto frantically picked the clothes up off the ground and slip them on, grimacing.

"Okay Mokuba," Kaiba said, watching his younger brother gape at him, "I'll be back tonight."

Mokuba felt himself nod as his eyes began to water slightly at the edges, "O-okay...I..I love you Seto."

Kaiba paused, and he bent down to pat Mokuba gently on the shoulder, pressing his lips tightly against his forehead, "I love you too kiddo." He stood up swiftly, grabbing the leather bag off his desk along with his two phones, Kaiba strode briskly out the door, leaving Mokuba standing in the middle of the room, on the verge of tears.

* * *

Yami sat gloomily in the passenger seat of Anzu's car, watching the white lines of the road rush by beneath his window.

Anzu glanced over at Yami and shook her head, sighing slightly. Yami had actually taken the time to change his outfit for Hiro. Anzu stole another glance over at Yami and she couldn't help but notice the texture of the shirt. It looked like...silk? Since when did Yugi own anything that was silk? Unless Yami was the one who went out and got it for himself...except he wouldn't have the time to do that, much less...pay for it without consulting with Yugi first...

"That's a cute shirt," Anzu commented casually, carefully watching Yami's reaction.

"Thank you." Yami said, trying to swallow the painful lump in his throat.

"Where..did you get it?" Anzu said, trying to keep her voice light.

"Kaiba." Yami replied darkly. He knew there was also no point in lying to Anzu. He didn't have the energy to put up a front anymore.

Anzu stepped on the brake lightly as they hit a bit of traffic. "Another ..gift?" Anzu asked delicately. She could literally see a depression cloud hanging over Yami's head and decided to go with a compliment. "It looks nice on you! I like it, don't you?"

The car in front of them began to move slowly, and Anzu inched the car forwards, waiting for Yami to respond.

"Yes." Yami said simply, his gaze still fixed permanently out the window.

"You can tell me what's wrong." Anzu said, as the car began to speed up. They were almost at the university.

Yami watched as several people around them rolled their windows down, enjoying the warm summer breeze as the cars slowly crawled through traffic.

"I was with Kaiba this afternoon." Yami said heavily, feeling his eyes heat up with emotion, "And...he asked to spend more time with me. These gifts..." Yami placed a hand over his phone in his pocket, "...they were his way of saying that."

Anzu narrowed her eyes at the road, stepping lightly on the brake again as the car in front of her slowed, "I see..." she replied thoughtfully, glancing over at Yami one more time, she asked, "Do you want to?"

"Do I want to..what?" Yami replied hazily, unable to focus his mind on one thing clearly.

"Do you want to spend more time with him!" Anzu cried, lurching the car forwards as the traffic let up once more.

"I...I'm not sure." Yami said, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. Yes, the answer was yes, but..that would be extremely selfish and unfair to Hiro.

"I think you do." Anzu nodded knowingly, "You and Kaiba, you two definitely have a history. Honestly, this thing you have with Hiro..."

Yami felt the blood rush to his head suddenly and his ears burned, "But _I feel_ -"

"I think what you feel...is lust." Anzu said blandly interrupting him, "I'm not taking any sides, but Kaiba has been around much longer than Hiro. And I know for a fact, you are infinitely more familiar with Kaiba than you are with a stranger like Hiro."

"Hiro is not a stranger!" Yami protested, trying not to glare at Anzu. "Our exchanges hold meaning; they hold the potential for many years of friendship."

"And is Kaiba...not your friend?" Anzu frowned. They were driving smoothly, the traffic had let up completely and they were now speeding along down the highway.

"He..." Yami's voice caught in his throat as he tried to respond, realizing he did consider Kaiba as a friend. Perhaps, even more so. They did not always speak politely to one another, but his company was always welcome and appreciated.

"Kaiba is not _my_ friend, per say." Anzu said matter-of-factly, "He's not Joey's, or Tristan's friend either. He might be your friend though." and she turned to give Yami a small, reassuring smile. "Maybe you should look into that, seeing as how he wants to spend more time with you and..stuff.." Anzu's voice trailed off as she pulled off the highway, carefully stopping at a red light.

Yami felt conflicted. "So, I should..take Kaiba's offer?" Yami asked, feeling strangely elated, "It's not a bad thing that I'm..." _seeing Hiro at the same time,_ Yami said mentally.

"Nope, it's not." Anzu said lightly. "If you didn't promise Hiro anything, then you should be able to do whatever you want! That's the beauty of dating!"

Yami blinked rapidly, trying to process what Anzu was suggesting. She wasn't asking him to choose...?!

"Dating." Yami repeated the word, feeling oddly light.

"Yeah." Anzu replied quickly glancing in her rear view mirror before smoothly changing lanes, "Remember, I asked if you and Hiro were dating? Did he respond to that?"

"Yes." Yami said suddenly, feeling very alert, "He told me he wasn't sure. Those were his exact words."

"See?" Anzu laughed slightly, "So, he could be out...maybe even with a girl... right now! And you wouldn't know. You don't have the right to know."

Yami felt his stomach drop to his feet uncertainly, "Why... I have the right to know!" he said regally. Hiro would never do such a thing!

"No, you don't." Anzu replied simply, "Just like how Hiro doesn't have the right to know you're visiting Kaiba every now and then. You're not dating, so you two don't owe each other anything."

Anzu stopped at another red light and added, "Yet."

She glanced up at the sign hanging from the stoplight, "Yami, please tell me which way to Hiro's apartment, I'm not sure where to turn. I only dropped him off that one time..."

Yami nodded curtly and kept his attention on the road, his mind racing. The light turned green and they drove down the road slowly, Yami turned his head, looking for a familiar street.

"So, dating.." Yami spoke slowly, "Is it a contract?" They passed a row of tall buildings which looked vaguely familiar and Yami gestured for Anzu to turn left.

She complied, and thoughtfully answered his question. "Yeah, it kinda is like a contract. Just make sure the rules are clear on both sides. And I guess it's like, you have to ask your opponent ...for a response before..activating...a card."

Anzu felt really weird explaining dating to Yami while using a dueling metaphor.

Yami nodded, appreciating the explanation and he pointed Anzu down another street.

"Ah!" Anzu cried, as the drove past Hiro's apartment complex, "Cool, found it! Now, let's..park." She pulled over on the curbside behind a large truck and turned the ignition off, looking Yami full in the face, "Just do what feels right. And I know, you'll know what feels right when the time comes."

Yami nodded and he smiled at her gratefully, "Anzu, thank you. Really."

She smiled warmly back at him, "I'm here for you, and I won't judge you, no matter who you decide to be with."

Yami felt the painful lump return in his throat and he swallowed, trying to find the right words to say. Anzu kept smiling brightly at him and carefully stepped out of the car.

Yami shook himself slightly, forcing himself to regain his composure before getting out of the car and stepping onto the sidewalk.

Anzu pressed the keys and Yami heard the car lock and she gestured towards the building, still smiling softly at him. Yami nodded at her and they crossed the street together, heading towards the entrance to Hiro's apartment complex.

Meanwhile, Kaiba had just barely managed to slip his shoes off when a firm knock rang out behind him. Hastily pulling out his phone and checking his reflection in the screen, making sure his black bangs were heavily obscuring his brows in the most Kaiba-esque way. Satisfied with his appearance, Kaiba slipped the phone back into his pocket and he paced heavily in a circle, giving the illusion of approaching footsteps.

He paused, waiting to hear movement or voices coming through from the other end. He heard nothing. Kaiba peered through the peep hole and saw the distorted figures of Anzu and Yami standing apprehensively side by side, shuffling nervously.

 _God..fuck it all._ Kaiba growled to himself as he cleared his throat lightly, "Who is it?" he called, forcing his mouth into a smile just so his voice would sound friendlier.

Yami felt his pulse quicken at the sound of Hiro's gentle voice. "Hiro!" Yami called, "I..texted you. Have you received my texts?"

 _Yeah I fucking did!_ Kaiba fumed privately, _Did you get my calls...PLURAL?!_

Sighing, Kaiba composed himself and pulled the door open slowly. Yami was looking at him with such a hopeful expression, it made him feel sick. His gaze drifted over towards Anzu, who was glaring at him in her usual, judgemental, bitchy way.

Kaiba turned the corners of his mouth upwards, hoping it looked like a smile, "I did call you back Yami, twice actually."

Yami's mouth dropped open with surprise as he reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, and indeed, there were two missed calls. "Oh.!" Yami exclaimed guiltily, "I'm so sorry, I thought they were from Anzu."

Anzu looked at Yami strangely, wondering if he was asking her to lie for him. Was Yami ignoring Hiro's calls on purpose? Then perhaps this visit was a good thing.

Kaiba gripped the door handle, controlling his rage. _Call each other often?_ he thought spitefully, resisting the urge to glare at Anzu, choosing instead to stare at Yami who was wearing the shirt he had given him last night. The black silk hugged his slender frame enticingly and Kaiba's grip on the door handle grew tighter while a strange feeling rose up in his chest.

"Where are my manners?" Kaiba said, pulling the door back widely, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice, "Please, come in."

He watched Yami smile happily at him and brush past him blithely while Anzu followed closely behind him but Kaiba moved to block her entrance.

Anzu looked offended as she her nose almost bumped into Hiro's shirt, "Wha...-hey!" She cried angrily, "What's the deal?"

"Not. You." Kaiba enunciated, barely able to contain his anger as he pulled the door towards him until the edge hit against his side, hiding Yami from view, "Yami and I have something to discuss."

Anzu glared resolutely back up at Hiro, her eyes traveled searchingly over his face as she responded slowly, "Fine. I will leave. But before I go..." she paused, wondering if she should tell him that she stopped by the bakery.

"What." Kaiba hissed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the door.

"Nothing. Never mind." Anzu said coolly, and she turned to leave. "Yami, call me if you need a ride back! I'll be at the shop with Yugi!"

Yami nodded, but realized she couldn't see him, and he was about to call out to her when Hiro spoke up loudly, "He won't be needing a ride back."

"Why the hell not?" Anzu asked suddenly suspicious. She gripped the keys in her hand so hard the metal ridges dug painfully into her palm. This interaction was giving her strange deja vu. She could see where Yami was coming from when he said Hiro's behavior reminded him of Kaiba.

"Because I have a car." Kaiba sneered, and he slammed the door in her face.

 _Wow, not the answer I was looking for!_ Anzu thought, suddenly feeling extremely irritated. She walked quickly through the hallway towards the exit, glancing at Hiro's apartment door begrudgingly one more time before stepping outside.

Kaiba leaned heavily against the door, waiting for her footsteps to disappear.

Yami tilted his head curiously, watching Hiro grip the door handle tightly, spacing out slightly. _Oh, he must be tired,_ Yami realized, remembering that Hiro's baking duties called for him to be awake at the break of dawn.

"Hiro?" Yami said slowly, taking a careful step towards him.

Kaiba finally heard Anzu's footsteps fade completely and he straightened up, unable to look Yami in the eye. He was still offended from their earlier exchange on the boardwalk.

"What are you doing here." Kaiba said rudely, hoping to offend Yami. He was so fed up playing this exhausting one-sided game where he was constantly the loser. What's more, Yami was wearing the shirt he'd gotten for him but he'd worn it for Hiro. That thought alone threw Kaiba into another bitter mental rant.

"I know you must be tired." Yami said quickly, fully aware that he was dropping by unannounced.

"I am _so_ tired." Hiro responded, his words filled with hostility, "Why are you here?"

Yami paused, the hairs on his arms standing straight up at the tone of Hiro's voice, which sounded achingly familiar. He could've sworn if he closed his eyes, he wouldn't be able to tell if he was speaking to Hiro or Kaiba. This conversation was starting off just like the ones he would have with Kaiba when he visited him late at night.

"I'm here..because.." Yami couldn't finish his sentence as his mind became filled with thoughts of being in Kaiba's office.

 _Oh for fuck's sake, you never know why you're coming see me!_ Kaiba thought, enraged at Yami's soft, hesitant expression. He stepped forward and cupped Yami's face in his hands, pulling him upwards, pressing their lips together in an angry kiss.

 _You're here because you want this?!_ Kaiba thought deliriously as he bit Yami's bottom lip harshly, and then pushing his lips roughly against Yami's teeth.

Yami froze as he felt his lips bruise painfully as Hiro's teeth fiercely caught his lower lip. Yami blinked and tensed as the scent of Hiro's cologne washed over him, almost suffocating him. Where had his gentleness gone? Hiro seemed to be getting rougher and rougher with him at every encounter.

Yami shut his eyes tightly and shook his head, his nose bumping into Hiro's cheek as he tried to turn his face away. He reached up to pry Hiro's cold hands away from his face but was held firmly in place as Hiro insistently pressed himself closer into him, his lips trailing down his neck and resting below his exposed collarbone.

Yami started to struggle but Hiro slid his arms down around his body to pull him into a tight embrace.

"Don't...move." Hiro whispered, his breath grazing across Yami's skin, sending goosebumps up and down Yami's arms and neck.

Yami stopped struggling and allowed himself to be held. They stayed that way for several long moments and Yami felt himself begin relax into Hiro's arms.

He could feel Hiro's heart thumping loudly between them and Yami began to wonder if the roughness of his actions was because Hiro was trying to hold back.

"Hir-" Yami began, but was cut off roughly by Hiro threading a hand through the back of his hair and shoving his face firmly into his well-muscled chest.

"Dont..speak." Kaiba said brutally, pressing Yami's face harder against him. He couldn't take it anymore. If he heard Yami call him Hiro one goddamn more time, he might just lose it.

Yami nodded, relishing in the softness of Hiro's shirt pressed reassuringly into his face. He felt so warm and dizzy, it was almost as though he could fall asleep standing up like this.

Kaiba took a few deep breaths as he pulled Yami tightly against him, trying to feel everything as much as possible before having to let go. He pressed his nose in through the tops of Yami's spiky hair and he closed his eyes, willing himself to keep it together.

Finally, Kaiba decided to release Yami, but Yami pulled him forwards and wrapped his arms around his slender waist, burying his face into his shirt once more.

Kaiba felt himself tremble and he raised his arms up, trying to push Yami away from him, but he couldn't. This was becoming too painful. Not too long ago, Yami was glaring at him angrily on the boardwalk, telling him he loved Hiro.

Kaiba looked down at Yami now, who was leaning against his chest with his eyes blissfully closed, breathing deeply.

"Are you done...?" Kaiba asked roughly, grabbing Yami by the shoulders again, attempting to pry him off.

Yami looked up at him with such a loving expression, it made Kaiba's stomach turn, "I'm ..sleepy."

Yami closed his eyes again, leaning his head back down against Hiro's chest.

"Me too." Kaiba said, the words left his mouth before he even had time to think about it, because damn, he _was_ fucking tired. Yami was legitimately wearing him out.

"Then, let's sleep together!" Yami exclaimed happily, pulling Hiro towards the large bed.

"Wh-what?" Kaiba said numbly, his chest constricting painfully as his ears began to ring. Did Yami want to... _..have sex_ ...with him?!

Kaiba watched apprehensively as Yami kicked off his shoes and threw himself down onto the bed, sitting upright and crossing his legs.

Yami patted the spot next to him and looked up at Hiro expectantly.

Hiro was standing awkwardly at the foot of the bed, staring at him strangely with his fists clenched at his sides. Yami frowned when he noticed this and he repeated himself for the sake of clarity, "I want to sleep with you. I thought you said you were tired too."

Kaiba's vision turned green as he realized Yami meant sleeping in the literal sense.

Yami's frown deepened as Hiro continued to stand oddly still at the foot of the bed. Yami leaned forwards and reached his hand out, grabbing Hiro by the tips of his slender fingers, Yami pulled him forcefully onto the bed.

Kaiba felt himself jerk forwards suddenly as Yami grabbed his hand and yanked him downwards onto the mattress. His shins knocked painfully into the edge of the bed frame and Kaiba yelled out slightly, the pain shocking him.

Yami saw Hiro doubled over onto the bed in pain, leaning over on his side, gripping his shin, his breathing erratic. Yami panicked, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..! It's just that, you're quite tall. I didn't think..."

"Yeah, no..it's okay!" Hiro winced, leaning his back into the mattress, his black bangs messily strewn across his forehead. "I wasn't paying attention."

Yami froze and swallowed when he heard that phrase. He had already heard it enough from Kaiba, and to hear Hiro say it to him again, it was almost as if this was just a continuation from his interaction with Kaiba this afternoon.

Kaiba leaned forwards to peel his shoes off, unaware of Yami's distress. When he turned back around, Kaiba saw Yami frozen to the spot and he realized his mistake, but it was too late to take it back. He had already said it.

Deciding it was better to ignore it, Kaiba propped himself up on his elbows and inched himself back across the bed. He grabbed a pillow out from underneath the neatly tucked comforter and tossed it at Yami.

"Here, make yourself comfortable." Kaiba said shortly, digging out the other pillow out from beneath the covers.

Yami caught the pillow quickly, his heart racing as he watched Hiro settle himself comfortably across from him, gracefully crossing one long leg over the other and folding his arms behind his head casually. Yami's felt the blood rush to his head as his eyes trailed over Hiro's toned arms, down past his chest and across his toned thighs.

"What." Kaiba said, feeling himself grow hot under Yami's scrutiny. "Have you changed your mind?"

Yami shook himself slightly, snapping himself out of his stupor. "I haven't." Yami replied simply, and he threw his pillow right up against Hiro's arm, snuggling himself beside Hiro's chest, sighing contentedly.

Kaiba felt the wind from the pillow catch him across the face as Yami threw himself down beside him blithely and leaned his forehead against his side. Kaiba felt his chest tighten with emotion and he forced himself to remain still.

Yami smiled mischievously as he reached a sleepy hand up to tug on Hiro's shirt, "I'm not comfortable." he said, grabbing a fistful of fabric between his fingers.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes down at Yami who had buried his face playfully into his side, his voice muffled by his shirt. Sighing, Kaiba lifted his head and reached his other hand around to pull Yami into one-armed embrace, shifting his weight as he turned over slightly. Now Kaiba was uncomfortable. He was awkwardly turned over on his side with one arm draped over Yami's chest with Yami's hair stabbing him in the face.

"Now?" Kaiba growled, almost regretting humoring him.

Yami shook his head again delightfully, pulling Hiro's shirt further down towards him, teasingly twisting it across Hiro's body.

"What, y-you don't like the shirt?" Kaiba asked his anxiety rising. He wasn't about to sleep shirtless with Yami; his self control had its limits.

Yami shook his head again and snuggled himself lower into Hiro's warmth, nudging his knee between Hiro's tightly crossed legs.

Irritated, Kaiba shifted himself once more and wrapped his legs around Yami's lower body, and he pulled Yami tightly against him, pushing his face into his chest once more. Kaiba's heart began pounding loudly in his ears as he felt himself grow extremely aroused and warm. It was like he was sleeping with a strange, spiky-haired body pillow.

"Now?!" Kaiba asked desperately, realizing he was unwittingly falling into every single one of Yami's classic traps, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to stop.

Yami barely nodded, immensely satisfied as Hiro's warmth engulfed him fully, the scent his cologne enveloping him comfortingly. Yami let himself relax and enjoyed the reassuring weight of Hiro around him as he drifted off into a light slumber.

Kaiba swallowed tensely as he felt Yami's breathing even out as he began to soften in his arms. Yami's upper thigh was pushed tightly into Kaiba's crotch, pressing uncomfortably into his arousal. Kaiba shut his eyes tightly, willing himself to remain calm.

He forced himself to relax and he shoved his face deeply into Yami's hair, inhaling his unique scent, thinking it would help him relax but instead, he felt himself grow even harder.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba leaned his head back away from Yami and stared up at the ceiling, trying to keep his mind blank. His vision began to swim as the sound of Yami's breathing became almost hypnotic, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy.

Kaiba shut his eyes momentarily, hoping to relieve his eyelids of the pressure...and the next thing he knew, his phone was buzzing loudly in his pocket.

Kaiba's eyes shot open as he tried to reach for his phone but realized he was immobilized, his arm was trapped underneath Yami's head, and Yami's leg was still shoved tightly up against his groin. It was pitch dark in the room, and Kaiba realized he had fallen asleep.

Groaning internally, Kaiba threw his head back tiredly; it felt as though he hadn't slept at all. He craned his neck to look out through the dark windows, he could see a large full moon peeking out behind a few thin clouds, casting a silver glow throughout the room. His phone stopped buzzing in his pocket and suddenly, his right eye started watering in pain.

 _Shit, shit!_ Kaiba leaned his head back and felt his eyes tear up. He had slept with the contacts in! That was definitely not a good thing. Kaiba tried sitting back up in an attempt to get the contact back into place.

His jerking movements woke Yami up and Yami raised his head sleepily, his large eyes were half-lidded, looking at him with an expression that made Kaiba feel like vomiting with guilt.

"What..time is it?" Yami managed, repressing a yawn. He looked out through the windows and he could see that it was completely dark outside and his eyes shot open suddenly. How long had they been asleep?!

Yami untangled himself from Hiro and sat up quickly, glancing around the dark room uncertainly. He looked down at Hiro and realized he wasn't moving. Was he still asleep?

Kaiba leaned his head back into the pillows and felt the contact slide in and out of place. He brought a hand up to cover his face while he blinked into his palm, willing the contact to behave.

"Hiro? Wake up! How long have we been asleep?" Yami asked frantically. It was so dark everywhere, Yami was sure they had slept through another day.

"I'm awake, I'm awake." Kaiba repeated mindlessly as he felt the contact bubble over his cornea and he blinked twice before sitting up slowly. "I should probably get you home."

"I think..I was getting a call!" Yami cried, shuffling around in his pockets for his phone.

"No, that was me." Kaiba said heavily, reaching into his pocket, but he stopped himself, knowing that Yami could see his screen clearly. If it was a call from Mokuba, he would have a lot of explaining to do.

"Are you sure?" Yami said, pulling out his phone and checking it for messages. To his surprise, he had none, and what's more, it was past midnight. Shocked, Yami dropped the phone onto the mattress and it landed face-up with a soft thud.

Kaiba leaned forwards and glanced at the glowing screen, reading the time. It was 1:30AM.

"Yeah, I'm taking you home." Kaiba growled, re-adjusting his shirt which had been twisted awkwardly around his body.

"Right..." Yami said faintly, his gaze fixed on the soft silver clouds outside the window. He didn't feel like going home.

Kaiba recognized this behavior immediately and he stood up from the bed quickly, "Come on, and if you're hungry, we can grab something to eat along the way."

Yami gripped the sheets beneath him tightly as he looked up at Hiro, "No." he said softly.

Kaiba blinked and he couldn't believe his ears, "No?!" he repeated incredulously.

Yami stared up at Hiro, enjoying the silver moonlight reflecting off of his thick black hair. "I'm already here..what's a few more hours?"

 _Oh god..._ Kaiba reeled, _And if I can't get him to leave, these contacts will stick into my eyes forever._

"You can't stay." Kaiba said firmly, reaching a hand out to Yami, attempting to coax him off of the bed, "I have to head to the bakery in about four hours."

"So let's sleep!" Yami insisted, scooting himself back into the pillows comically, "If I enter the house now, I will probably wake Yugi. And he has class in...6 hours..!"

"Don't _you_ have class in six hours?!" Kaiba asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"Oh, that's right." Yami said faintly, running his fingers absently over the soft comforter.

Kaiba was getting impatient, "Come on, I'll drive you back to the game shop."

Yami crossed his legs firmly and leaned his back into the pillows stubbornly, "I'm staying here."

Kaiba lowered his hand and swallowed nervously. The situation was becoming dangerous in more ways than one. He knew threats wouldn't work, and bribing wouldn't work either. Kaiba held his breath, there was one method he hadn't tried yet, and that was begging.

"Please," Kaiba spoke softly, looking imploringly into Yami's dark violet eyes, "Come here?" And he held his hand up outstretched, inviting Yami towards him.

"No, _you_ come _here._ " Yami commanded deeply, folding his arms across his chest and sitting back royally into the pillows.

 _Fuck my life!_ Kaiba raged and he lowered his hand quickly back down to his side, trying not to glare at Yami. He stood very still, contemplating his options, one of them being tossing Yami over his shoulder and carrying him kicking and screaming into the car.

No, there has to be a better way, Kaiba thought as his mind began to race.

"Well?" Yami said testily, sounding extremely spoiled. "Don't just stand there."

Kaiba made his decision quickly and he decided to act.

Kaiba slowly sunk his knee down into the mattress and leaned his weight forwards onto his palms, his bangs obscuring parts of his vision as he kept his head lowered, slowly making his way over to Yami across the bed on his hands and knees.

Yami felt the mattress sink heavily beneath him as Hiro crept towards him steadily, his dark hair brushed messily over his face, making him impossible to read. Yami suddenly felt uneasy, and he shifted himself further back into the pillows.

"A-Actually, " Yami said nervously, inching away as Hiro loomed over him threateningly, "I think I should go home.."

Kaiba deliberately pinned Yami down beneath him, his arms sinking into the pillows alongside Yami's head. He watched as Yami's eyes darted around his face frantically, trying to understand what was happening.

Kaiba threw his doubts aside and leaned in to gently capture Yami's lips in his.

Yami froze and he blinked, feeling Hiro move his lips gently across his own.

Yami felt his heart flutter wondrously in his chest as he sighed happily into the kiss, arching his back up wards into Hiro, parting his mouth, wishing he could just purely inhale Hiro's being. Yami slid his hands up upwards and locked them around Hiro's neck, pulling him down deeper into the kiss. His head rested comfortably against the pillows with Hiro's weight sinking pleasantly on top of him.

Alarm bells began sounding off in Kaiba's head as he felt himself slipping deeper into Yami. No, bad...this was bad. He was being sucked in powerfully and his body was reacting enthusiastically to Yami's touch.

Yami tightened his grip around Hiro's neck and Yami felt Hiro slide his tongue in past his lips, lightly grazing the roof of his mouth. Hungry for more, Yami pushed himself up harder against Hiro, feeling himself grow incredibly aroused.

Kaiba's hand moved on it's own as he skillfully undid the buttons on Yami's shirt; their lips pressed tightly together as their tongues swirled powerfully against each other.

 _Now would be a good time to stop!_ Kaiba screamed at himself as he dragged a hand across Yami's bare chest, relishing in the feel of Yami's hot skin underneath his palms.

Yami writhed pleasurably as Hiro raked his hands over his chest lustfully and he felt his skin burn as Hiro's touch left hot trails of fire along his body.

 _I'm stopping!_ Kaiba clamored internally, his gaze burning deeply into Yami's large angular eyes. Yami blinked wantonly back at him, struggling to keep his eyes open as his mind began to grow heavy with need.

Breathing heavily, Kaiba shoved a knee between Yami's legs and pulled him flush against his body. While gripping Yami's slender hips tightly, Kaiba ground his erection through the fabric of his jeans, feeling Yami's arousal press firmly into him as a response.

Yami gasped as he was pulled upwards suddenly and his head spun violently. Hiro pushed their hips together so hard, his cock rubbed up against the inside his pants. Oh..it felt good! Yami bucked his hips forwards again, trying to recreate the sensation but Hiro's hands were holding his hips in place. Yami bit his lip and grabbed fistfuls of Hiro's lustrous dark hair, trembling with desire.

Kaiba forced himself to hold still, trying to regain his self control as Yami grabbed at his hair desperately, pulling and tugging, silently begging him to continue.

 _No..! No..!_ Kaiba chanted at himself and he reached up to pry Yami's arms off from around his neck carefully, his own arms shaking with an effort to restrain himself.

Yami's eyes widened with shock and horror as Hiro pushed him off and let him back down gently onto the bed.

"No!" Yami cried out, dismayed, and he struggled to grab onto Hiro again, but Kaiba was too quick. He nimbly edged off the bed and resumed his standing position, bending down slightly and making sure to slide his shoes back on firmly.

Yami clambered off the bed frantically and he threw his arms around Hiro, sliding downwards slightly as his knees weakened. "We're not..leaving!" Yami insisted, his erection straining painfully against the seam of his tight leather pants. He hugged Hiro tightly, enjoying the hardness of Hiro's arousal pressing into his belly.

"I'm staying here." Yami said, his voice muffled in Hiro's shirt.

"Sit down." Kaiba said, leaning Yami back into the bed. Yami sat obediently, watching as Hiro bent down, circling the bed, searching for something.

"What are you doing?" Yami asked impatiently, and his question was answered when Hiro straightened up and walked back towards him with his shoes.

Yami's eyes widened and he shook his head stubbornly, drawing his knees up to his chest, "You can't make me leave by bringing my shoes."

Kaiba said nothing and knelt down at the edge of the bed, gripping Yami tightly around one of his ankles, he shoved the shoe firmly back onto Yami's foot.

"Hey!" Yami cried angrily, kicking out in protest.

Kaiba felt like he was dealing with a very bratty, spoiled child. This was somehow worse than dealing with Mokuba when he was going through his bratty phase.

"Hold still..!" Kaiba said through gritted teeth as he expertly shoved the other shoe back onto Yami's foot.

It took every ounce of Kaiba's self control to keep himself from pushing Yami back down and spreading his legs apart to fuck him raw.

Hiro's hand was gripping Yami's slender ankle so tightly it began to hurt. His shoe had already been put on and Yami cried out slightly, but Hiro's grip was surprisingly strong.

"Hiro, that..hurts." Yami gasped lightly.

Kaiba heard the name Hiro and he dropped Yami's ankle heavily, sobering up instantly.

He patted all his pockets, making sure his phone and keys were all still in place, and he grimly offered Yami an outstretched hand, gesturing for him to get off the mattress.

Yami felt Hiro's mood shift almost instantly and Yami stood up moodily, ignoring Hiro's outstretched hand while he carefully buttoned up his shirt.

Kaiba let out a small sigh of relief as he watched Yami adjust his shirt accordingly.

"You look nice wearing that, shirt." Kaiba said-he couldn't help himself.

Yami smiled at him sadly and nodded silently in thanks.

 _Yeah, I pity me too_ , Kaiba thought darkly as he led Yami towards the door.

Yami threw him an indignant look as they walked silently through the dark hallways and Kaiba tried his best to ignore it, knowing that if he reciprocated, they might just end up fucking furiously in the car.

They stepped out into the cool summer night air and Kaiba pressed the keys lightly, watching the headlights glow invitingly back at him in the darkness. He circled the vehicle and held the door open for Yami, not trusting him to immediately get into the car without fooling around.

Yami brushed past Hiro seductively and stood stubbornly between the open door and the car seat.

"Get in..." Kaiba said tiredly. He was afraid he wouldn't have the energy left to refuse Yami's advances anymore.

Yami gripped Hiro's shirt tightly and stood up on his tiptoes, straining his neck upwards, "Convince me to get in, or we're never leaving."

 _Goddammit_ , Kaiba growled but he complied reluctantly, quickly bending down and pressing his lips firmly against Yami's; he felt the familiar tightening of his chest as Yami's warm hand brushed against his cheek.

Kaiba jerked his head back forcefully and walked around the car, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. Yami leaned back on his heels, disappointment painted clearly across his face.

Kaiba tried to smile apologetically and he opened the car door on the driver's side, watching Yami carefully from over the hood of the car.

"Convinced?" Kaiba asked hopefully, feeling strangely stimulated.

Yami ducked his head down into the car and sat begrudgingly in the passenger seat while Kaiba let out a long sigh of relief. He tucked himself into the car and shut the door beside him, shoving the key into the ignition, he turned the engine over smoothly.

He could feel Yami's intense gaze on him as he pulled out of the parking spot and drove quietly down the street.

Kaiba tossed the hair out of his eyes and looked over at Yami, expecting a glare, but instead, he received a light smile. Caught off guard, Kaiba returned the smile and kept his eyes on the road for the remainder of the drive.

Yami couldn't help but stare at Hiro's profile in the semi-darkness. Hiro kept both hands on the steering wheel and Yami gazed longingly at his hands, wishing he could touch him. Every time Hiro touched him, he felt electrified and Yami couldn't get enough of that feeling. He saw Hiro throw him a furtive glance and Yami smiled gently at him, enjoying the silence as it settled comfortably around them in the car.

They were nearing the game shop and Yami felt his dissatisfaction rising higher and higher as they got closer and closer; he realized he would have to get out of the car soon.

Kaiba pulled around the corner of the game shop into a parking space and gently shut the rumbling engine off. The last thing he wanted was for Yugi to peek out through the second floor window and see them.

"We can sleep in the car." Yami said firmly, desperately trying to find a way to stay closer to Hiro.

"Sleep isn't a thing that happens for me anymore." Kaiba responded heavily, tapping the clock on the dashboard. It was 2 AM.

Yami lowered his head and nodded reluctantly. He pulled at the door handle sullenly and he stepped out of the car.

"Wait!" He called, leaning back in through the open window.

"Yes?" Kaiba replied, knowing fully what Yami was going to ask.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Yami asked hopefully, "I'll be by the front as usual."

"Ah, speaking of tomorrow," Kaiba said, preparing himself for the biggest lie he was ever going to tell, "The bakery is having it's grand opening, so remember to bring Yugi!"

"Of course!" Yami cried excitedly, "When will you finish work tomorrow? Perhaps, we could have lunch together?"

Kaiba swallowed his nerves and smiled the fullest smile he could manage, "We'll have to see, so don't wait around if I don't show up for a bit."

Yami nodded, "I know, I bet you'll be busy." He leaned away from the window and waved casually. "See you." and he walked off towards the game shop.

Kaiba watched him go, stamping every moment, every laugh, and every single one of Yami's smiles into his memory, knowing that tonight was probably the last time he was ever going to be treated this way for a very long time.

Sighing, Kaiba leaned forwards and started the engine. He lightly brushed the pedal with his foot and he drove carefully away from the Kame Game Shop, his stomach turning nervously.

Kaiba glanced at the clock as he sped down the empty highway, wondering if Jason would be in at the bakery this early. Kaiba figured he'd stop by anyway, since it didn't seem like he would be getting any sort of meaningful sleep after the day's events.

He started phrasing his resignation in his head, wondering how polite or casual he ought to sound, considering he hadn't been a very good employee thus far.

Before long, Kaiba had pulled into the empty lot behind the bakery and he leaned back in his seat, looking up at his car ceiling, the ghostly feeling of Yami's warm lips lingering across his mouth.

Shaking the thought out of his head, Kaiba stepped purposefully out of the car and towards the alleyway. He heard a dog bark in the distance and froze. If the dog was here, that meant Jason or June must still be present!

Kaiba dashed towards the employee entrance and yanked forcefully on the door handle. Unsurprisingly, it was locked and Kaiba cursed loudly, causing the dog to bark at him from the other end of the alley.

Suddenly, the door clicked open and June stuck her head out the door. Her mouth dropped open with surprise as she remembered him with ease, "Hiro!"

The dog barked loudly at them again and June propped the door open hastily, rushing over to quiet the dog down. "Mei! Don't yell! You're gonna wake everyone up!"

Jason came rushing to the doorway after hearing June shout at the dog, and his mouth dropped open in a similar fashion when he saw Hiro standing in the doorway.

 _Yup they are definitely related_ , Kaiba thought to himself as he tried to smile.

"Ah..Hiro!" Jason cried, looking relieved to see him, "You're alive!"

"Why wouldn't I be..." Kaiba growled.

June spoke up from behind him, dragging Mei along on her leash, "We thought Seto Kaiba would've buried your body somewhere on the outskirts of the city in a remote location that only he would know about." The dog came to sniff eagerly at Kaiba's shoes again and Kaiba resisted the urge to back away.

"Well I'm here to quit." Kaiba said bluntly, his eyes darting between Jason and his niece.

"What?!" June shrieked, "You know we just opened, right? And I'm here working my butt off until 3 AM, covering _your_ shift, while you get to go out and play with your boyfriend!"

 _They are definitely related,_ Kaiba thought spitefully as he turned to Jason to make his appeal.

"I _need_ to quit." Kaiba emphasized. "If Yami keeps stopping by to see me..." Kaiba had trouble finishing this sentence.

"Then ...what?" Jason asked, frowning. "And I'm just going to remind you, that you made a commitment, young man. If you want to see your paycheck at all by the end of this month, I suggest you change your attitude."

Kaiba was dumbstruck. He couldn't care less about the measly wages he was earning at this place, but Jason took his silence as compliance and he continued to speak, "I'm not accepting any kind of resignation from you. You are to come in every day, as we agreed upon when I first hired you. _If_ we can find a replacement for you, then you may _consider_ leaving. Otherwise, buckle up buddy, you're in with us for the long run."

"Awwwhh," June gushed, "Lookit that Hiro, Uncle J is actually pretty fond of you!"

Kaiba floundered, and he tried one more time, attempting to make himself heard, "Look, I appreciate it, but I can't be seen with Yami anymore. And I can't let him know that..I..still..." _exist._ Kaiba finished the thought in his head as his plans for ditching his Hiro persona were becoming increasingly more difficult.

Jason frowned and gestured for June to give them some space. June nodded gravely and tugged on the dog's leash, walking towards the direction of the street without questioning anyone, which Kaiba thought was strange.

"Okay, let's step inside for a sec, Hiro." Jason said heavily, moving aside to let Kaiba in.

Kaiba nodded curtly and stepped into the familiar kitchen, glancing around at all the cooling racks and cake stands, already set out for the next round of baking.

"I know why you have to quit." his manager said slowly, rubbing his neck tiredly.

"Y-you do?" Kaiba said, forgetting who he was for a moment.

"Yes...hey, you know, Yugi's girlfriend stopped by today. She claimed she was _your_ girlfriend, because she wanted to speak with you about...your..Yugi twin." Jason struggled to piece together the information without names.

 _Did that happen today?_ Kaiba thought hazily, _That felt like it happened years ago._

Jason noticed Hiro sway a little on the spot, and he held an arm out to steady him. "Whoa there, okay, we're gonna..sit down." Jason led Kaiba over to a tall stool and the metal made a loud scraping noise across the floor as Kaiba settled down heavily upon it.

"So, before you start explaining yourself, I will tell you what I know, and you can tell me if I'm right, or wrong, or if I'm missing some parts...you follow?" Jason squinted at Kaiba and Kaiba nodded slowly, his brain sluggishly trying to processes his words.

"Alrightly then. You, met your boyfriend, online...and you guys were all happy. Later on, Seto Kaiba finds out you're playing around with his..friend..and gets all upset at you. You run over there, thinking you can do something about it, but instead, he tells you you outta quit, otherwise something bad is gonna happen to this place," Jason gestured around the kitchen, "or to you, or to your boyfriend."

Kaiba sat in stunned silence, listening to the manager rant, unsure if he should laugh or yell.

"Where am I at so far, hot or cold?" Jason said, frowning at him.

"You think...Seto Kaiba...is threatening me?" Kaiba asked incredulously. He glanced up at the manager's grave face and realized the man wasn't joking.

"Well he's not. I've never even met the guy." Kaiba said roughly.

"Uh huh." Jason said, extremely unconvinced.

"It's the truth." Kaiba insisted and he held his hands up to demonstrate distance, "I..am down here..." he held his hand parallel across his stomach, "And Seto Kaiba, is up here!" he stretched his other hand way up over his head.

"Sir, there are at least eight socioeconomic levels of people between us, I doubt he even knows I exist." Kaiba lowered his hands carefully, making sure to address Jason as 'sir', knowing Jason secretly enjoyed the respect.

"Eight?" Jason said, squinting at him curiously, "What are you talking about buddy."

Kaiba swallowed nervously, "Well, there's homeless people, that's one level. Then there's me, which is the second level, and then there are my peers who do better than me, that's the third level, and you as my boss, that's the fourth. Oh, and there are the people who own the property rights of this business, as well as several oth-"

"Alright alright smart-ass." Jason growled, scratching his head with disbelief, "So if what you're saying is true, why do you want to quit all of a sudden?"

Kaiba gritted his teeth, "Because I am a terrible...employee."

"I disagree." Jason said simply, "Today, you're here 2 hours early for your shift and you baked a whole opening _day's worth_ of cakes yesterday morning. I'd say you're an outstanding employee."

"I. Disagree." Kaiba enunciated, feeling a cold sweat beginning to emerge on his brow. This man was making his quitting extremely difficult and Kaiba briefly considered just not showing up ever again, but that idea clashed horribly with his morals and personal work ethic.

"Apron up." Jason said blithely, cracking open a fresh bottle of water and sliding one across the steel counter top towards him. "If you finish your batch early, you can go home early, you look like you need some sleep kid."

Kaiba stood up numbly and picked up the water bottle from the steel surface, running his options through his head. "Fine." he said shortly, mimicking Jason's rough actions of cracking the bottle open, he took a swig.

He saw Jason look at him approvingly and Kaiba seized this moment to state his request, "I'll continue working here, but I am invisible. I stay in the kitchen only and I leave exactly at 10 AM. If anyone comes by asking for me, I'm not here."

Jason nodded, his head stuck partially in the refrigerator as he pulled out stacks of eggs still in their cartons. "This goes for...everybody?" Jason raised his eyebrows at Hiro, "Even..?"

"Even Yugi, or anyone who looks remotely like Yugi." Kaiba said roughly, unable to bring himself to say Yami's name.

"Right right..right." Jason said absentmindedly. "Your funeral kid."

Kaiba glared stonily at Jason and replied, "I appreciate your help and I look forward to working with you." He grabbed a bowl and began viciously cracking eggs into it.

Jason let out a bark of laughter and waved at him casually, "There's no need to be so formal. I'll do it, I'll do it. You kids are all so complicated."

Kaiba nodded and couldn't help but feel a stormy pit of dread forming deep down inside him as he began to whip the eggs together vigorously.

* * *

Yugi's alarm tore through the room at an earsplitting volume, jolting Yami awake suddenly. He felt his eyes grow heavy immediately as he heaved himself out of bed and over to Yugi's side the room. Yami reached his hand over Yugi's pillow and dug the phone out frantically, silencing it firmly. Yami felt a slight headache pounding in his temples at the strange sleep he had been getting these past few days.

Yami shook Yugi awake, vowing silently to visit Kaiba less often.

Yugi ignored him and turned over, almost elbowing him in the face as he pulled the covers up over his head.

"Yugi!" Yami exclaimed, "Come with me to the bakery, they're having their grand opening today!"

Yugi turned over tiredly and cracked an eyelid open slowly, "I thought that was yesterday. Anzu tol-ld me." Yugi yawned mid sentence, stretching.

Yami's eyes widened, his heart racing frantically, "It was?!" He went through conversations with Hiro yesterday in his mind. He could've sworn Hiro told him the bakery was opening today! Perhaps he was too tired, and he remembered incorrectly. Yami did, however, remember how they had fallen asleep together, and that thought made him smile slightly.

Yami glanced back down at Yugi and realized Yugi had drifted back asleep, his breathing was deep and even once more.

"Yugi!" Yami cried, roughly shaking his twin, "I'm going to head off without you...! ...Yugi?!"

Yugi didn't move and Yami sighed, making a movement to get up off the bed, Yugi's phone began ringing loudly again. Beginning to lose his patience, Yami fished the phone out from underneath the covers and glanced at the screen. It was a call from Anzu.

Yami hastily answered it, "Anzu! Good morning."

"Yu-..Yami!" Anzu cried, surprised, "I thought it was weird Yugi would pick up at the first ring..."

Yami shook Yugi again, "Yugi, it's Anzu, please wake up."

Yugi's eyes shot open, "Anzu? Wh-where?"

"Here." Yami said gruffly, shoving the phone over to Yugi.

"Oh...yeah, what time did you end up coming home last night?" Yugi asked, reaching for the phone and yawning, "Anzu stayed up with me until midnight..." And he pressed the phone to his ear quickly, "Hey Anzu!"

Yami turned away and stood up from the bed, feeling strangely upset. Why hadn't Hiro mentioned to him that the bakery had opened yesterday? He looked at himself in the mirror, feeling his mind grow hazy as he noticed his dark circles had gotten even deeper.

"Yami!" Yugi called out, "Anzu is bringing Joey and Tristan, we're all going to check out the bakery together!"

Yami nodded darkly, and turned back to inspect his reflection. Perhaps Hiro had just ..forgotten. He sighed deeply and walked towards the closet, resolving to ask Hiro about it when he saw him today.

Kaiba wiped his brow gently as he carefully piped a large cream rose onto the side of a cake. He was seeing spots in the corner of his vision due to his lack of sleep, and it was getting harder and harder to focus.

Sighing, he leaned back and set the piping bag down, glaring at the cake. He swept his eyes over the other sets of cakes he had baked earlier, all sitting beautifully arranged along the counter, ready to be cut and placed into the display case.

Jason ducked into the kitchen, clipboard in hand with a pen behind his ear, "Oh hey! Lookin' good Hiro, lookin...good." He circled the counter, inspecting the rows of beautifully iced cakes, nodding approvingly.

"Last one?" Jason asked, squinting at the half finished rose. "Having trouble there kid?"

Kaiba opened his mouth to respond but was cut off when June suddenly came bursting into the kitchen, breathless and frantic, "Mei chewed through her leash! I can't find her anywhere!"

Jason dropped his clipboard with a loud clatter onto the steel counter top, "Again?... June!"

June looked close to tears as she held up a mangled, stringy leash for him to see.

Kaiba felt his stomach turn uncertainly. "Does this happen often?" he asked, unable to help himself.

Jason looked exasperated as he gripped his hair anxiously, "Only recently. She had a brother...and he was ...stolen. She probably thinks she can find him, June, don't worry, she'll know to come back."

June blinked and large tears began streaming down her face. Kaiba tensed uncomfortably, "What..breed is she?"

"She's a ...S-samoyed...!" June choked, stuffing the leash into her pocket and palming her face in embarrassment, "I'm s-sorry, I'll go clean up." And she strode off back out towards the cafe bathroom.

Jason turned to face Hiro heavily, "Ah..that dog. Well, let's get that last cake finished and you can either stay to help me put them out for display, or you can go home."

Kaiba nodded silently and picked up the piping bag without another word. He leaned back down and lightly layered the last few petals on the rose while Jason stood moodily off to the side, watching him.

"You're a good kid." Jason said suddenly, looking at Hiro strangely, "For someone who didn't attend culinary school, your handiwork is impressive."

Kaiba felt himself redden slightly at the sudden praise, "Thanks." he said gruffly, setting the piping back back down, satisfied with the result.

"I'm in touch with a few caterers," Jason continued, "I can pass you along onto them. They're always needing some last minute cakes or cupcakes here and there. It's good money."

Kaiba carefully eased the cake onto a liner and he let his breath out slowly, "I appreciate it, but..no thank you."

"Hey," Jason said, frowning at him, "You've been here less than a week, and I've been nothing but impressed while watching you work. You've got some talent. You could do this professionally, make a name for yourself."

Kaiba swallowed nervously as he tried to find another way to politely decline, "Thank you." he said simply, hoping Jason would leave it alone.

June came into the kitchen again, her eyes were red and puffy.

Kaiba watched as Jason hugged his niece and led her towards the row of cakes on the counter.

"Pick one Junie, we'll eat a slice." Jason said nodding encouragingly.

June stifled a hiccup and nodded in response, her eyes trailing over the cake sitting in front of Hiro, which was adorned with large cream roses.

"C-Can we try that one?" she asked tentatively, eyeing the roses longingly.

"That one? Yeah, of course June-bug, anything for you. Hiro grab a knife. We didn't get to celebrate yesterday due to all the...rushing." Jason said, patting June on the back gently.

Kaiba nodded and circled the counter, bending down to peer into the drawers below, trailing his fingers over the various cutting knives, he chose one quickly and handed it across the table towards Jason.

"Nah, kid, it's all yours." Jason said, winking at him.

Kaiba was too tired to argue, so he ducked his head down and circled back around the counter towards the cake, his bangs obscuring his eyes.

"Hiro," June said suddenly, "Don't worry about Mei. Really. She always comes back. I know you like her..."

Kaiba managed small smile in her direction and brought the knife down gracefully across the top of his creation, making sure to cut around his carefully piped roses.

Jason disappeared into the front and returned with several paper plates tied together with a set of plastic forks. The plates were also minty green with dark chocolate stripes, with matching clear-green forks.

"Oh...! Those are pretty Uncle J!" June exclaimed, picking up the fork and inspecting it.

"Yeah, they look great in pictures, just you wait kids, this place is going to be a hit. With Hiro here as our secret weapon, we're going places." Jason said happily as he handed Kaiba a plate.

Kaiba shut his eyes as he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. God he was tired. He shook his head slightly and deftly placed the slice of cake onto the plate and automatically held his hand out towards Jason, reaching for another plate.

Jason gave him a strange look and handed him the plate, "You okay there bud?"

"Yeah," Kaiba said heavily, "I'm just tired, that's all."

 _I wish that was all_ , Kaiba thought to himself sadly as he quickly plated the other two slices of cake.

June looked in considerably better spirits as she stared at the cake on her plate, sniffing it delightedly. She pulled out her phone to take a photo, but Kaiba reached a hand underneath her camera, stopping her.

"H-hiro! Move your hand!" She protested, and Jason threw him a strange look as well.

"Hold on." Kaiba said hastily, grabbing the piping bag off the counter, he moved to hover over her slice of the cake. "I've got a bit left in the bag, so here... think it needs a little more..."

Kaiba expertly layered the cream together, slowly forming the soft petals of a rose, spinning the plate slowly as he went along. He reached over and grabbed a second piping bag filled with green icing as he strategically placed a few creamy leaves around the rose, adding a few extra leaves trailing off the side of the cake and down onto the plate. June watched him, awestruck.

Kaiba leaned back and weighed the piping bag in his hand, satisfied. He hated having cream go to waste. He caught Jason smiling at him out from the corner of his eye and Kaiba tried not to react.

"Ohmigoshhh!" June cried happily, pulling the plate closer towards her, her eyes gleaming with delight, "Thank you Hiro! It's beautiful!" She leaned over the slice, and began photographing it enthusiastically.

"Hey kid what about mine?" Jason said, grinning at him boyishly.

"There's no more cream left." Kaiba said roughly, turning away from him pointedly and going back towards his own slice.

Laughter rang out around the kitchen and Kaiba felt himself redden. Jason and June were smiling at him merrily, giving him admiring looks. A warm sensation surged up inside him and Kaiba pushed the feeling aside roughly, reminding himself that these people weren't his friends.

He picked up his fork and tasted the cake, enjoying the light texture of the cream. He watched as Jason and June did the same, nodding approvingly.

"Oh this is yummy!" June squealed, holding the plate up to her nose, staring at the cream roses, "I can't eat this, I want to just look at it."

"Right, right," Jason nodded, spooning forkfuls of the cake into his mouth carelessly, "Mmm very moist. Good. Good job Hiro. Nice texture. Perfect."

Kaiba felt himself grow redder and redder and he lowered his head in thanks, staying silent. He stared down at his slice of cake, realizing he had no appetite.

Jason caught onto Kaiba's strange behavior and spoke, "I know you're kinda bummed out about your boyfriend, but hey, lighten up. Bigger fish and all that..."

"You can't just say that Uncle J!" June cried, her mouth full of cream, "Yugi is one-of-a-kind!"

Kaiba couldn't find the energy to contradict her. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he fished it out gloomily. He saw that it was a text from Yami and he felt like exploding.

"Answer it kid." Jason said, frowning at him.

"It's not a call." Kaiba responded heavily, sliding a slender thumb across the screen to read the text.

"Yugi and I will be stopping by to see you today!" Yami had wrote.

Kaiba clicked the phone shut and sighed. He needed to get out of here as quickly as possible, before Yami came to visit him before class.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked, frowning at him.

Kaiba pulled his apron off hastily and threw it onto the counter. "Yugi will be coming by today so, June..." Kaiba made direct eye contact with her and noticed her blush slightly, "...You can grab Yugi's autograph."

Kaiba pushed the half sliced cake towards Jason and gave him a knowing look, "Please send them my regards, and...I hope you'll honor our agreement."

Jason sighed and leaned against the counter, squinting at him, concerned, "Alright kid."

Kaiba nodded briskly and strode towards the back door, pulling it open, he heard Jason's footsteps rush up behind him.

"Hiro...wait." Jason said hastily, "Come in on time tomorrow, alright? There's no need to be here so early."

Kaiba nodded silently again and swept past him, stepping out into the alleyway. He heard the door shut softly behind him and Kaiba rushed to his car, climbing in urgently, he checked his rear mirrors before peeling out of the parking lot and speeding off.

* * *

Yami sat moodily in the backseat watching Yugi and Anzu chat happily in front of him. He glanced at his phone again, wondering why Hiro hadn't responded to his text.

Anzu threw him a quick glance in the rear view mirror, "Hey, how're you doing back there?" she called.

Yugi turned around in his seat to face Yami, "Actually, I wanted to know when you came home! I didn't hear you come in!"

A silence settled over the car as Yugi and Anzu waited for Yami to respond.

"I-...everything was fine." Yami said quickly, turning slightly pink.

"You want to tell us what happened?" Anzu asked, keeping her eyes firmly on the road.

"Yeah, tell us." Yugi said, frowning, "You've been staying out much later these days."

Yami felt his face continuing to heat up further and he opted to remain silent, keeping his gaze firmly fixed outside the window.

Anzu sighed as she pulled the car slowly off the freeway, "Don't pressure him Yugi. I'm sure he'll tell us when he feels comfortable."

Yugi looked slightly angry as he turned back around to face the front and Yami felt a small twinge of guilt.

"Hiro did not mention anything...about the grand opening." Yami said slowly, watching Yugi carefully.

"What?!" Anzu cried, and Yami could feel her eyes widening even though he couldn't see her from the backseat.

Yami nodded, as a strange dark feeling curled low inside his chest. Why did he feel so uneasy? He looked back down at his dark phone screen again. No messages.

Yami gripped the phone tightly, feeling a strange mix of anger and frustration.

"Maybe he forgot." Yugi said, rolling the window down. "That doesn't explain why you came back super late though.." Yugi pressed.

The warm summer air rushed loudly into the car and whipped Yami's blonde bangs painfully around his face as he replied, "I fell asleep Aibou, I'll be more mindful of the time in the future."

Anzu stopped the car heavily at a red light and Yami lurched forwards in his seat slightly, "You what?!"

"I-I fell asleep." Yami stammered, as Yugi turned around to give him a strange look.

"Explain?" Yugi said shrilly, glancing at Anzu worriedly.

"I just..." Yami felt the atmosphere turn cold in the car and he began to sweat slightly, wondering why his friends were so concerned, "Hiro and I slept together. And I lost track of time-"

A car honked loudly from behind them and the car jerked forwards suddenly as Anzu stepped haphazardly onto the gas pedal.

"You ...and Hiro did what?" Yugi cried shrilly, looking at Anzu frantically.

"We slept together." Yami said firmly, looking at Yugi curiously.

There was a long silence in the car as Anzu pulled into the university parking lot, slowly passing by rows of cars, looking for a spot. Yami shifted uncomfortably in his seat, wondering if he had said something he shouldn't have.

Anzu quickly pulled into a parking spot and shut the engine off. The silence in the car was becoming unbearable, and Yugi quickly climbed out, slamming his door loudly. Anzu did the same, neither of them speaking or looking in Yami's direction.

Yami sat in the car, alone and slightly bewildered. He climbed out of the car and realized both Yugi and Anzu were looking at him with expressions of deep concern.

"What..?" Yami asked, feeling increasingly more uncomfortable the longer they stared at him.

"You slept with him?" Anzu repeated, her brown eyes were dark and unblinking. Yugi was staring at the floor, head lowered, his eyes obscured by his spiky blonde bangs.

"Yes." Yami responded, glancing around the parking lot, wondering if he had made her angry.

"Did you...guys..at least use a condom?" Anzu asked flatly.

Yami blinked at her. "A..what?" Was that a special type of...sheet?

Yami watched Yugi palm his face in agony and he stepped forwards to touch Yugi's hands but to his surprise, Yugi backed away from him.

"Aibou..!" Yami cried, suddenly extremely concerned. He felt like he was missing something.

"You didn't really...did you?" Yugi asked, his voice muffled in his hands. "I know you, Yami, you would never do that! You just met him!"

Yami's confusion was reaching an all time high and he was beginning to grow frustrated.

"I don't understand." Yami said slowly, his eyes darting between Anzu and Yugi, his heart thudding loudly in his chest. He suddenly felt nauseous.

"You...had sex with him last night?" Anzu said deliberately, not making eye contact.

Understanding slowly began to dawn on him and Yami quickly spoke, attempting to clear the air, "We merely fell asleep together."

Yami watched as Anzu and Yugi relaxed visibly and he let out a sigh of relief.

Yugi stepped forwards to give him a hug, "Yami, just for future reference, "sleeping with" can mean...sex, in some other contexts."

Yami felt Yugi's arms tighten around him and he nodded stiffly, his face reddening as he recalled Hiro's strange behavior last night when he had invited him to "sleep with him."

Yami felt his face grow extremely hot as he pulled himself out of Yugi's embrace, his head spinning. Did he just inadvertently invite Hiro to have sex with him? And did Hiro...refuse?

"Come on, let's go, I wanna beat the lines!" Anzu called, walking a bit away from the spiky haired twins.

"We're coming!" Yugi called, rushing to catch up with Anzu, pulling Yami along behind him. Yami followed closely, his mind racing with jumbled thoughts, allowing Yugi to lead him forwards.

* * *

**Author's note:**

-showers Seket with hugs and food because I am learning new things every day while editing!-

Po00r Yami. #RIPkaiba'sENTIRElife  
Does Anzu get points for good womanly advice this chapter?

oK bUt DiD hIrO rEfUsE sEx WiTh yAmI tHo

Your thoughts and reviews -always appreciated. *runs and hides*


	13. The complete blankness

Kaiba pulled his car into his garage and shut the engine off. He had a throbbing headache and was having trouble seeing straight.

Heaving himself out of the car, he pressed the keys moodily and stormed up the stairs into the house. Kaiba threw his keys and phones onto his desk and peeled the clothes off of his body, tossing them into the stainless steel hamper by the door of his bathroom. He stumbled into the shower and turned the water on clumsily, his contacts were beginning to dry in his eyes and it was becoming more painful with each blink.

The water rushed down on him powerfully and steam curled up around his body thickly. Kaiba stared glumly down at the shower floor, watching the black dye run off his body and down the drain. He had failed to quit the bakery, and what's more the bakery's success now depended on his presence, at least for the time being. This was a family run business and Kaiba understood Jason's objective to keep his employees consistent. After all, he himself was the same way.

He felt his shoulders sag tiredly as he stared bleakly at the water, which now ran clear of dye, swirling down the drain. Sighing, Kaiba shut the water off and wrapped a towel around his waist casually, crossing the bathroom in a few long strides towards the mirror. He stared at his reflection, watching as beads of water dripped off of his face and down his chin.

 _Brown eyes, brown hair_ , Kaiba mused, turning his head carefully from left to right, noticing his right eye was slowly becoming red. He quickly rummaged around his drawers and pulled out the eye drops.

Kaiba held his breath as the cold liquid pooled in the corners of his eye and he felt the contacts shift across his vision. Leaning forwards, he peeled them out of his eyes and tossed them back into their plastic container.

Kaiba reached up to the top shelf of his cabinet for his cologne and spritzed himself twice out of pure habit.

 _S-Shit!_ Kaiba gritted his teeth as he pulled the towel quickly across his body, trying to disperse the scent. He didn't want to fucking smell like Hiro, or even be reminded of that fact, when he was back in his own home as himself.

Grumbling at his own stupidity, Kaiba roughly toweled his hair dry and inspected his reflection again.

A brunette with messily ruffled hair and clear blue eyes stared back at him; Kaiba scowled. He tossed the towel onto the rack and didn't bother getting dressed before throwing himself down naked into his bed and slipping tiredly underneath the comforter.

Kaiba stared up at the high ceiling before slowly turning over and closing his eyes, willing his mind to go blank.

* * *

There was already a small crowd of people waiting by the entrance of the bakery as Anzu, Yugi, and Yami stood on the opposite side of the street, waiting for the walk sign to flash.

Yami felt Yugi's grip tighten over his wrist as they walked slowly across the street. Yami's heart was thudding painfully in his chest as they approached the crowd of people forming around the glass windows. He could see the other tall man in the far back, bending forwards and sliding sliced cakes neatly into the glass display.

Yami blinked as he tried to recall the man's name. All he could remember was Hiro defending him when the man kept insisting he was Yugi. The blood rushed to Yami's head again and he pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking for messages. The phone screen was dark.

"That looks delicious!" Yugi exclaimed, craning his head over the crowd, looking into the store.

Suddenly, a petite brunette wearing a mint apron with thin white stripes rushed forwards and began unlocking the front door, motioning for people to back away slightly.

Yami felt Anzu tense up beside him and he looked up at her curiously, watching her stare at the small girl in the doorway.

"Welcome in! Good morning!" The girl chirped, propping the door open as the throngs of students filed past her excitedly.

"Yugi!" She cried happily, tucking the shop keys into her apron pocket. Yami felt Yugi's fingers drop away from his wrist as the girl rushed forwards and grabbed hold both of Yugi's hands.

Yami now understood why Anzu was so tense and he glanced at her again, noticing her knuckles had become white as she tightly gripped the strap on her purse.

The girl was chatting excitedly with Yugi and she was tugging him into the bakery with an animated look on her face. Yugi was smiling and nodding back at her politely. Yami jutted up on his toes trying to see past the bakery's counter and through the kitchen flaps, half expecting Hiro to appear. Yami gripped his phone again, wondering if he should send another text.

The girl led them aside and pulled out a pad of paper, blushing as Yugi took it from her and signed it. Yami suddenly remembered that this was the girl with the large fluffy white dog, and Hiro had made a joke about her name...what was it...May? or June...?

She was gazing adoringly at Yugi while he was signing the pad, and Yami noticed Yugi was also blushing slightly now. Yami could feel Anzu silently raging beside him but he didn't care. He wanted to know where Hiro was.

Yami felt like someone was staring at him, and he perked up, his eyes roaming over the room suspiciously. He caught the eye of the tall man who was working at the register, and the man quickly looked away, smiling brightly at the next customer in line.

 _Ah, him_. Yami thought darkly, _He knows where Hiro is, I am sure of it.  
_

Yami turned back to watch the girl who was shaking Yugi's hand vigorously, she was speaking so fast he was finding it hard to follow. "We have something for you!"

Yugi laughed nervously, "Thank you...!"

"Let me go get it!" She cried, and she rushed back behind the counter, brushing shoulders with the tall man at the register, who whispered something to her, and she nodded before disappearing through the flaps and into the kitchen.

Yami craned his neck once more as the kitchen flaps pushed back slightly, and he wondered if Hiro was too busy to come out. Sighing tensely, Yami fished his phone out and texted Hiro, "I am here!" He sent it glumly and shoved the phone back into his pocket, watching as the girl rushed out from the kitchen holding a giant mint green striped box with a clear film top.

"For you!" She cried, holding the box out with both hands respectfully towards Yugi, "And you!" she added, looking bashfully over at Yami.

Anzu stood motionless beside Yami, absently scrolling through her phone, feigning indifference.

Yugi's eyes widened as he accepted the box from her, "Thank you June! Wow, a whole cake!"

 _Her name is June!_ Yami blinked, angry at himself for not remembering sooner. _The dog's name was May._

"Yes!" June cried excitedly, "Hiro...sends his regards." And she threw a look over her shoulder to the man behind the counter. Yami noticed this and his suspicions peaked.

"If I may ask..." Yami said softly, his voice almost drowned out by the chatter of the excited students standing in line, "Where is Hiro?"

The girl looked nervous as she smiled back at him, "He..left a bit early today. But he made this for you guys!" She threw Yugi another adoring look, nodding enthusiastically. "Please come by often! We will have new flavors every month!"

 _He left?!_ Yami thought, his heart sinking into his stomach. _But doesn't he usually stay until the afternoon?_

Yugi was now taking a photo with June while holding the cake, smiling happily. The girl squealed, asking for another one, claiming her hand shook.

"Did he say where he was going?" Yami interjected, feeling irritated.

June lowered the phone camera and looked at him, almost sadly, "He'll be back tomorrow! Don't worry!"

Yami nodded his head stiffly in thanks, unsure of what else to say.

They headed towards the door and the girl ran forwards to give Yugi another one armed hug, carefully avoiding the cake box he was holding, "Bye Yugi!"

Anzu was already by the corner of the street, a few yards away from the bakery's entrance, ignoring them viciously.

Yugi waved lightly and turned towards Yami with a beaming smile, "Cool! Free cake!"

Yami nodded, uninterested. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking it again for messages. Nothing. Yami shoved it back into his pocket, his anxiety rising. Perhaps Hiro was at his home, asleep, because they had stayed up so late last night.

"Stop it." Yugi said suddenly, looking at Yami carefully.

Yami glanced at Yugi, surprised. "Stop ..what?"

"That." Yugi said, dipping his head down and glaring at Yami's pocket, "You're checking your phone every five seconds. Were you trying to reach Hiro? He's probably busy back there, baking all this stuff for everyone."

They had approached the street side where Anzu stood waiting and Yami watched as she pressed the walk button roughly.

"He's..not answering, so he must be busy." Yami said monotonously, trying to reassure himself. This was strange considering how Hiro was always responsive no matter how busy or tired he seemed to be.

Yugi left his side to walk alongside Anzu as they crossed the street and Yami looked at the ground, their shadows falling thinly over the pavement as the morning sun began to rise higher into the sky.

 _Perhaps, I will catch him when he leaves,_ Yami resolved, running his hand absently over the ridges of his phone.

Yugi and Anzu were getting farther and farther away from him, and Yami shook his head. He turned to walk in the opposite direction; his classroom was on the left side of campus and Yugi and Anzu were heading towards the right.

He watched their backs moodily, realizing they probably wouldn't notice if he'd just left, and so he did, without saying a word.

Yugi smiled at Anzu, reassuring her that the girl from the bakery was not nearly as pretty as she was, before stopping in his steps. "Where's Yami?" Yugi cried, looking around him.

"Oh," Anzu said absently, "I think he left a while ago. His class is that way." She tilted her head over to the left.

Yugi nodded, looking down at the beautifully piped cream roses sitting atop the cake and he had a peculiar feeling that this cake was meant for Yami.

Reminding himself to bring it up with Yami later, Yugi smiled at Anzu again and they continued on their way across campus.

* * *

Kaiba rolled over comfortably and cracked his eyelids open slightly.

The setting sun cast orange strips of light into his room and Kaiba rolled over, pulling the sheets over his head, thinking that was strange.

Kaiba sat up suddenly, realizing he had just slept through the entire day. He looked around him, realizing that he had fallen asleep naked.

Kaiba peeled the comforter off and the scent from his cologne rose up pleasantly around him. _  
_

_Shit, now I need to fucking wash these sheets_ , Kaiba growled to himself angrily. Just another thing to put on his endless to-do list.

Kaiba leapt over to his closet, pulling on a plain grey V neck t-shirt and a soft pair of light blue jeans. He froze in the middle of stepping into the leg of his pants, realizing he was dressing himself as Hiro.

 _Ah, fuck it,_ Kaiba thought hastily, _These clothes are more comfortable anyway_.

He stepped into a pair of Hiro's white canvas shoes a _s_ he briefly entertained Yami's shocked expression if and when he would notice.

His stomach growled painfully as he snatched a thin belt bearing his logo off a hook and buckled it around his waist. He hadn't eaten anything all day, again.

Sighing, Kaiba slid the closet door shut and quickly made the bed. He glanced at the two phones sitting at his desk and he felt himself sweat slightly.

This was the first time Hiro had not shown up at the bakery to see Yami. Would Yami be angry?

Kaiba made his way over to his desk and cautiously picked up Hiro's phone. There was one text message, "I'm here!" Yami had written, and it was sent at 7 AM this morning.

 _Wow, close one._ Kaiba thought, as he remembered he had just left the parking lot around 6:30.

His company phone buzzed and Kaiba picked it up, his head heavy. He didn't feel like doing anything work-related. He just wanted to eat.

It was a text from Isono, "Mr. Yugi is at the door, shall I..-"

Kaiba felt the world stand still. This was probably, most definitely, Yami.

There was a soft knock at his door and Mokuba's voice drifted in through the crack, "Seto? Are you awake?"

Kaiba quickly turned Hiro's phone off and shoved it hastily into the desk drawer. He strode across the room and yanked the door open.

Mokuba was looking at him with an expression of deep concern, which quickly morphed into a tentative smile when Kaiba smiled gently down at his little brother.

"Hi Seto, are you feeling better?" Mokuba asked hopefully, his smile widening when he noticed his brother was dressed more casually than usual.

"Yeah I am, "Kaiba said, leaning down to pull Mokuba into a warm hug. "I'm starving. What do you want to eat? We'll go anywhere you want."

Mokuba's head spun slightly as the musky fresh scent from Seto's cologne washed over him.

"A-Actually..." Mokuba said, pulling back and looking extremely nervous, "I came up here to tell you that Yami is here..."

Kaiba felt his heart skip a beat and he blinked stupidly at Mokuba, "Yes, downstairs?"

Mokuba shook his head, "Outside. Isono is..keeping him company, but I _am_ hungry!"

"Right.." Kaiba said numbly, his mind racing, "So, what would you like to eat?"

Mokuba looked stricken, "B-But Yami is..."

"I know, Yami is outside," Kaiba said patiently, "What would you like to eat? Pick your favorite restaurant and we'll all go out together."

Mokuba fell silent as he looked down at his toes, wondering if this was a good idea at all. Although...there was one thing he had been wanting to eat all week, and that was meat with hot soup.

"Shabu Shabu?" Mokuba cried hopefully, looking up at Seto with his large grey eyes. "I'm craving Shabu Shabu!" Mokuba's stomach growled excitedly at the thought of all the meat and mushrooms bubbling a large pot in front of him and his mouth began to water painfully.

 _Hot pot, huh,_ Kaiba mused internally, "Okay." he said as he stood up gracefully, pocketing his company phone in one hand and reaching out to Mokuba with the other.

Mokuba grabbed his hand eagerly and they headed down the grand staircase together. Mokuba could barely contain himself. Seto must be in a great mood, he thought excitedly, probably because Yami is here again.

They reached the bottom stair and Mokuba let go of Seto's hand, rushing to the doorway and lugging the heavy door open.

Kaiba was greeted with the sight of Yami, who stood apprehensively beside Isono, gripping his phone tightly, looking stressed. He was wearing a large sleeveless hoodie and Kaiba couldn't help but stare at Yami's nicely toned arms.

Yami seemed to follow his sentiment because his angular violet eyes began darting around Kaiba's face, past his shoulders and all the way down to the tips of white canvas shoes.

Yami felt his heart stop in his chest. Kaiba was wearing Hiro's shoes. Hiro's jeans...or was he? Yami couldn't quite tell. He wasn't sure if he was merely imprinting his hallucinations onto Kaiba's casual outfit, or if it was wishful thinking.

"Nice..outfit." Yami managed, biting back a delirious laugh.

Mokuba froze and his eyes darted between Seto and Yami, wondering how Seto would react to Yami's compliment.

Kaiba smiled smoothly at Yami and gestured towards the limousine a few feet away, "Thank you."

Mokuba let out a tiny sigh of relief, thankful that this dinner wasn't going to be a complete shout-fest.

Yami was frozen to the spot, his phone slipping slightly out of his grasp. "Where are you going?" he asked faintly, unsure if he wanted to know the answer. He had just gotten here after an exhausting day of worrying about Hiro, he wasn't in the mood for one of Kaiba's guessing games. He was here to apologize for his inconsiderate behavior on the boardwalk. He was here to accept Kaiba's offer of...spending more time together.

"Where are _we_ going," Kaiba corrected, and he brushed past Yami towards the limousine, with Mokuba following closely behind him.

Yami stood a bit away from them as Kaiba swung the door open and let Mokuba climb in before him.

Kaiba stepped aside, holding the door wide open, gesturing for Yami to get in. Isono was hovering behind Kaiba, patting his brow with a handkerchief, undoubtedly distressed that his door-opening job had been taken away from him in that one moment.

"I can manage, Isono. Thank you." Kaiba said shortly, nodding at his manservant.

Isono bowed and hurried around the nose of the car, quickly disappearing on the other side as he got into the driver's seat.

"Get. in." Kaiba enunciated, his stomach growling painfully, "I am really hungry, I haven't eaten anything all day."

Mokuba watched with wide eyes, sitting right up against the window in the far back, holding his breath. Seto was trying so hard to be nice, it was painful to watch.

Yami couldn't tear his eyes away from Kaiba's light blue jeans paired with his white canvas shoes, and he found it difficult to move or speak, so much so that his eyes began to water dangerously.

Sighing heavily, Kaiba ducked his head into the limousine and motioned for Isono to start the engine.

Yami heard the car turn over as Kaiba stepped towards him quickly and grabbed him lightly by the wrist, leading him gently towards the open car door.

Yami felt his feet dragging across the pavement as he was pulled into the car. Kaiba loomed over him, his cold blue gaze piercing right through him, "In."

Yami nodded weakly and he ducked down into the limousine, feeling his leather pants slide uncomfortably against the leather of the seats as he inched himself towards Mokuba.

Mokuba's eyes widened as Yami got closer and he hastily undid his seat belt, reaching frantically for the door handle, Mokuba grabbed it and pushed the door open, bolting out of the car and slamming the door back in Yami's face.

Startled, Yami frowned, wondering if he had did something to upset Mokuba.

"Kiddo, where are you going?" Kaiba asked, sticking his head up over the roof of the car to look strangely at Mokuba.

"I'm going to sit in the front." Mokuba said fervently as he circled the car and pulled open the passenger door.

Kaiba watched him with slight amusement and waited for Mokuba to get settled into the seat before climbing into seat beside Yami and closing the door softly beside him.

He could feel Yami tense instantly and Kaiba leaned forwards, raising his voice making sure Isono could hear him, "Are we all ready?"

"Yep." Mokuba responded, not turning around. Isono coughed slightly as he pulled the car off the Kaiba property.

Smirking, Kaiba leaned back into the leather seats and crossed his legs gracefully one over the other. He could feel Yami staring at him, watching his every move, probably undoubtedly shaken at the sight of Hiro's clothes on his body.

Yami stared at the scenery flashing by outside his tinted window, noticing how the trees looked slightly orange due to how dark the windows were. He glanced back over at Kaiba and couldn't help but stare at the light blue fabric covering his long slender legs. Yami wanted to reach out to touch the fabric, just to verify that Kaiba was actually wearing jeans.

Kaiba was sitting so close to Yami, their legs were millimeters apart. One small jolt or turn of the car would push Yami's leg up against Kaiba's, and Kaiba forced himself not to react. He knew Yami was very distressed by this fact alone, and that thought kept him sane.

Yami was aware that Kaiba was staring at him, but Yami didn't care. He was having a bad day, and he didn't have the energy to put up a front. He turned away from the window again to stare at Kaiba's legs, trying to imagine Hiro's face attached to them. And as it turned out, that was quite an easy task.

Yami unconsciously reached a hand out to brush his fingers across the fabric of Kaiba's jeans, completely unaware that he was actually moving forwards to touch him.

Kaiba was calmly enjoying the scenery pass by his window when he suddenly felt something graze over his knee lightly. He slowly turned his head downwards, and froze in his seat, realizing that Yami was absently running a finger over the fabric of his jeans.

Kaiba swallowed nervously and felt himself break out into a cold sweat.

Yami continued to drag his finger over the light blue fabric, his gaze fixed on the tips of Kaiba's white canvas shoes. Yami could've sworn he had seen Hiro wear almost the exact same pair last night.

Suddenly, a large hand came down and wrapped warmly over the top of Yami's hand. Yami froze and blinked as horror crept up around him slowly when he realized he had been causally touching Kaiba's knee.

Yami opened his mouth to apologize, but Kaiba's hand tightened firmly over his. Yami paused and leaned forwards slightly, trying to see Kaiba's face but his head turned to face the window, making him completely unreadable.

Yami took several deep breaths as he leaned back into the seat, feeling slightly dizzy, his mind racing. Kaiba's hand over his, felt...warm and inviting. Yami's hand was pressed down onto Kaiba's knee, and he could feel the warmth from Kaiba's skin through the fabric.

They stayed that way for the rest of the ride. Yami clenched his free hand down at his side, trying to relax, but he couldn't. His entire body was on fire, and it was all just from a casual touch of Kaiba's hand over his.

Kaiba felt Yami shift uncomfortably beside him and he loosened his grip slightly, knowing he had been squeezing a bit too firmly. To his pleasant surprise, Yami didn't pull his hand back. Instead, he was staring resolutely out the window, his face and ears red with embarrassment.

Kaiba swallowed thinly, restraining himself from leaning forward to kiss Yami down along his blushing pink face and neck. He wanted to, so badly. He wanted to run his hands along the soft muscular curves of Yami's bare arms and to feel his warmth against his body. They were sitting so close, he could easily do it.

Stop it, Kaiba berated himself. They were in the car with Mokuba and Isono, and that kind of behavior in front of Mokuba...Kaiba shook his head slightly and he felt Yami jerk his head to look at him, startled.

Kaiba tilted his head at Yami and smiled gently, nodding. The car pulled to a slow stop in a parking lot and Kaiba forced himself to let go of Yami's hand.

Yami's blush deepened and Kaiba tried his best to ignore it, carefully pushing the door open and stepping out into the cool, summer night air.

Yami sat very still. Goosebumps ran up his arms as his hand suddenly became cold when Kaiba's hand had left his. He watched Mokuba climb out eagerly and join Kaiba outside the car so Yami roused himself and delicately stepped out of the limousine.

Kaiba watched as Yami climbed out of the limousine gingerly, clearly shell-shocked. He reached around Yami and shut the car door behind him, patting the door twice, signalling his gratitude towards Isono.

They watched silently as Isono pulled away in the limousine and turned the corner, the red taillights disappearing quickly in the distance.

The street around them was deserted and Yami began to feel uneasy. Mokuba cheered lightly beside Kaiba and grabbed his older brother's slender fingers in his small fist. Yami's eyes followed Mokuba's motions, almost feeling envious at his carefree demeanor.

As they continued up the street, Yami watched the Kaiba brothers sullenly, keeping a few paces behind Kaiba, seeing Mokuba grin widely up at his older brother, and watching Kaiba smile gently back at him.

They turned another corner and Yami found himself standing at the entrance of a small rectangular plaza, lined neatly with two-story restaurants. An elegant water fountain sat in the center of the plaza, surrounded neatly by brightly-lit trees.

Yami felt his breath catch in his throat as his eyes traveled over the beautifully arranged storefronts. Were they still in the city? He had never seen this place before!

"Oh noo!" Mokuba cried, pointing upwards at a small crowd of people lined up at one of restaurant entrances above them, "There's still a line?!"

Kaiba pulled Mokuba close to his side and threw a glance over his shoulder, making sure Yami was still with them, "That won't be an issue, Mokuba. Let's go." He nodded at Yami, trying to catch his eye, but Yami wasn't paying attention. His eyes were straying over towards the benches surrounding the fountain, staring at a couple who was sharing a soft serve ice cream.

Kaiba let go of Mokuba's hand and stepped in front of Yami's vision, "Dessert.. comes _after_ the main course." Kaiba said stiffly, staring down at Yami who's dark violet eyes widened up at him.

Mokuba looked up curiously, wondering what Seto was talking about, and he followed Yami's gaze. His eyes landed on the couple sharing the ice cream and he felt himself blush slightly. Suddenly, Seto swept him up in his arms and walked towards the restaurant. Mokuba blinked, surprised, but locked his arms obediently around Seto's neck, watching Yami stand awkwardly behind them.

Mokuba gestured for Yami to come along with them, and Yami nodded vaguely and moved himself to follow, feeling slightly lightheaded.

Kaiba climbed the stairs easily, Mokuba's weight straining against his arms slightly with each step.

"You're too big to be carried," Kaiba said roughly, setting Mokuba down at the top of the stairs, noticing the people in line turn to stare at them.

Mokuba grinned up at Seto, but his smile faded quickly when saw the tips of Yami's spiky hair slowly coming up the stairs behind his brother. He pulled Seto towards the entrance quickly, eager to keep them separated.

Kaiba allowed himself to be pulled forwards, knowing that this was going to force Yami to pick up his pace. Mokuba pushed through the crowd of people, pulling Seto firmly behind him, carefully avoiding the shoes and toes of the people in line. They stopped at the podium where the hostess stood and her face turned pale when her eyes met Kaiba's cold gaze.

"Ah...! Mr. Kaiba!" She cried, looking between Mokuba and Kaiba politely, trying to hide her nervousness. Kaiba nodded at her politely; he could hear the whispers of people rustling fearfully behind him in the line.

Yami stood behind the crowd at a distance, rooted to the spot. Suddenly, a bright light flashed in his vision as the woman in front of him held up her mobile phone to photograph Kaiba's tall frame in the doorway of the restaurant.

Yami felt a creeping horror consume him as several more people in the crowd followed suit and pulled out their cell phones to take photos of Kaiba and Mokuba, standing with their backs turned to them, at the entrance. Yami could clearly see the nervousness of the hostess attempting to smile as she gripped her clipboard tightly.

Kaiba thought he saw a flash of light reflected in the glass of the doorway and he tensed. He spoke urgently, addressing the hostess, "If your private rooms are not available, we will leave."

Mokuba looked up incredulously at his older brother. Seto usually never took 'no' for an answer, much less suggest they leave!

She bowed her head quickly and backed away, rushing her speech, "I will check with my manager, please wait here."

Kaiba watched her go, his anxiety rising as he could feel the crowd growing restless behind him. It probably wouldn't be long before..

"Yugi Mutou!" Someone cried loudly, and Kaiba groaned internally, feeling a slight headache coming on.

Mokuba whirled around, interested, and Kaiba kept his gaze firmly facing forwards, his mind racing.

The crowd moved away from the doorway and began to clamor around Yami; women began rummaging around in their purses for slips paper and pens, the men stood slightly off to the side, with their phones out, cameras pointed directly at Yami, filming him casually.

Yami froze as he felt the trickle of horror expand in his chest and sink quickly into his stomach, cementing his feet into the ground.

"Yugi! Are you having dinner with Seto Kaiba?!" One woman shrieked, standing way too close to him, her phone obscuring her face as she held it out in front of her.

Kaiba shut his eyes, praying that the hostess would come back soon, before the crowd turned into a full-on stampede. He glanced down at Mokuba, who was watching the commotion, clearly interested. Kaiba nudged his younger brother slightly, "Go grab him." Kaiba said softly.

Mokuba turned towards Seto with large, wide eyes, "G-grab him?"

"Yeah, bring him over here. We're all going in soon. Don't want him to get lost in the crowd. You'll be able to push through, you're much smaller." Kaiba turned swiftly to glare at the crowd behind him, knowing that if he touched Yami publicly, the media would have a shit-fest about it.

Mokuba tilted his head, slightly confused, but he obliged.

"Excuse me...! Coming though!" Mokuba shouted, elbowing his way through the crowd. People moved aside begrudgingly, not paying him any attention as they were holding up their phones, trying to either catch Kaiba or Yami on camera.

Mokuba spied Yami's tightly clenched fist in his view and he reached out to grab him. He pulled forcefully, causing Yami to stumble forwards slightly.

Yami felt a tiny hand wrap around his wrist and jerk him forwards suddenly. He almost tripped forwards into the crowd, his shoulder bumping painfully against the stranger who was shoving a phone in his face on his left.

"Hey! Hey Yugi! Are you guys friends?!" The man shouted, still trying to lean his phone camera in around his face, his fingers almost brushing against Yami's ear. Yami flinched and kept his gaze downwards, allowing Mokuba to pull him forwards, feeling strangely numb.

Mokuba gripped Yami's slender wrist tightly, determinedly pushing his way back through the crowd towards Seto. He purposely made sure to step on a few open toes, and scuffed his sneakers over the tips of a pair of shiny high heeled shoes, causing a few shrieks and yells.

"I said move your butts people!" Mokuba yelled, his grip slipping slightly off from Yami's wrist as his palms began to sweat. He held on tighter and barreled his way through the remainder of the crowd, rushing to his brother's side for safety.

The crowd bubbled away from Mokuba as he approached his older brother. It was as though Kaiba had an invisible force field of hostility which caused people to back away respectfully.

Kaiba turned around and swept a cold glare across the crowd and at the backs of cell phones, which were all directly pointed at him. He could see some of his own phones in the crowd, his chrome KC logo flashing back at him menacingly.

Thankfully, the hostess appeared before them and gestured them inside, "You have great timing Mr. Kaiba, we actually have two unreserved booths available.." Her eyes landed on Yami and her voice trembled, "Party of three?"

Kaiba nodded curtly, "Yes. Any booth will do."

She bobbed her head awkwardly and led them inside the restaurant.

Yami watched as Mokuba made an ugly face at the crowd behind them before following the woman inside. Yami couldn't help but feel a bubble of approval rise up inside him and he smiled gently down at Mokuba. Mokuba caught his eye and looked away quickly, burying his face into Seto's arm, his cheeks red.

The second Yami stepped into the restaurant, the savory aroma of beef and chicken floated around him as he stepped past various booths of people, sitting excitedly around a large bubbling pot that was filled to the brim with a wide array of colorful meats and vegetables.

Yami's eyes widened as they passed table after table, each with a large boiling pot in the center. He caught a glimpse of a small girl, trying to fit a large slice of meat into her little mouth, using the chopsticks awkwardly with two hands, skewering the slice horizontally.

His mouth began to water and his stomach rumbled loudly as Yami caught another whiff of a full bodied sesame sauce and the sharp tang of a ponzu sauce.

The hostess led them off to the side, sliding a delicate screen door aside, she bowed and gestured for them to enter the private booth.

It was a small, rectangular area with four large floor cushions surrounding a low table. An empty metal pot sat right on top of a small burner at the center of the table, identical to all the other ones Yami had seen when they walked past the other booths.

"Yess!" Mokuba cried happily, kicking off his shoes and climbing nimbly onto the pillow in the farthest corner. He tucked his legs underneath him neatly and he gripped his knees tightly, "Thanks!" He said quickly, looking at the hostess.

She nodded silently at Mokuba and bowed, rushing away, clutching her clipboard.

Yami watched with great interest as Kaiba slipped off his white canvas shoes and lowered himself down across from Mokuba, tucking his long legs beneath him into a formal sitting position. He patted the pillow next to him, motioning for Yami to take a seat beside him.

Yami stood uncertainly at the edge of the booth, wondering if he should refuse. He eyed the pillow beside Mokuba and Mokuba folded his arms at him, "Don't sit next to me. I'll definitely splash you with hot soup while I eat."

"No you will not." Kaiba growled, glaring sternly at his younger brother.

Yami swallowed nervously and slipped off his shoes, slowly easing himself into the booth, the hardness of the wood pressing painfully into his knees as he knelt beside Kaiba, trying to keep the distance between them respectable.

He sat back on his heels nervously, glancing around curiously. Their corner was quiet, and Yami could hear the hustle and bustle of the restaurant on the other side of the wall, along with the light clinking of utensils and laughter floating gently through the room.

Yami heard a light squeaking and watched as waitress appeared beside them, wheeling a cart loaded to the brim with dishes of raw vegetables, meat and sauces. She pointed at three metal pots with thick spouts, sitting on the edge of her cart, "Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth base?"

Yami edged back away from the side of the booth, unconsciously moving closer towards Kaiba, unsure if she was speaking to him.

"Beef!" Mokuba cried, twisting his hands in excitement.

"Let...the guest...choose." Kaiba said slowly, giving Mokuba a look.  
Mokuba huffed and sat back on his heels grumpily.

Yami felt himself redden as he focused his gaze on the thinly sliced red marbled beef, neatly arranged in a circle on a plate, sitting at the edge of the waitress's cart. "Beef is fine." he said quietly and the waitress nodded.

She grabbed one of the tall spouted pots and generously poured a hot liquid into the metal pot at the center of the table and leaned around the booth. Yami heard the waitress flip a switch and he jumped slightly, startled, as large flame suddenly burst out from underneath the metal pot and the sharp smell of propane gradually began to fill his nostrils.

Mokuba laughed at happily at Yami's reaction, "That's cool isn't it?"

Kaiba smiled secretly as he watched Yami blink and nod quietly, still obviously shaken. He watched Yami's eyes travel slowly over the large plates of mushrooms, seaweed, and meats, feeling something tug at him inside his chest.

"Everything on the cart." Kaiba said, nodding at the waitress, and the waitress smiled back shakily.

"Then I shall leave the entire cart here, as usual." She said and she gestured towards a small red button beside Kaiba's head alongside the wall, "Press if you need us. Thank you." She bowed deeply so deeply Yami could see the the top of her head, her hair sweeping along the handle of the cart as she straightened up again to leave.

Kaiba smiled widely as the pot in front of them began to bubble merrily, the enticing scent of beef spread slowly around the booth, "Okay Mokuba. Now, you may..."

"Yes yes yes!" Mokuba cried, scooting over quickly to the edge of the booth and grabbing every single plate he could reach and heaping them onto their table.

Yami watched as plate after plate, stacked high with cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes and various raw meats slid under his nose as Mokuba pushed them towards the boiling pot.

"Be careful please." Kaiba said, as Mokuba nearly spilled a plate in his excitement. "Actually, I'll do it. Go sit back in your corner."

"No!" Mokuba protested, gripping the plate tightly, "I wanna."

"Yami, could you please switch places with me?" Kaiba asked, eyeing the boiling pot as Mokuba's sleeve almost brushed past the open flame when he pushed another plate full of meat across the table.

Yami felt himself grow hot and he nodded, carefully climbing out of the booth, standing quickly. Kaiba gracefully moved across the wooden seats and stepped out of the booth as well, his height towering over Yami, making him feel even more nervous.

"Go ahead." Kaiba said, gesturing for Yami to step in front of him.

Yami nodded quickly, his ears reddening as he knelt down into the booth again, inching towards the back wall, facing Mokuba. He sat down onto the pillow, leaning back on his heels, gripping his knees tightly.

"No need to be so formal," Kaiba said smiling at Yami lightly, "We're here to have a nice meal together."

Yami felt his blush deepen as Kaiba sat back down into the booth, closer to him this time. His heart almost stopped when Yami thought he briefly caught a whiff of...Hiro's cologne, when Kaiba lowered himself down beside him.

"Can we start?!" Mokuba begged, holding his chopsticks between his hands tightly.

"Yes, let's." Kaiba said, grinning widely, dipping his chopsticks into the broth, mixing it slightly.

Yami held his breath, dazzled, as he watched Kaiba smile genuinely; his smile was so handsome, and he was sitting so closely. Yami wasn't sure if it was the hunger that was making him dizzy or if it was Kaiba's casual smiles.

"Finally, thank you!" Mokuba groaned, pulling his plate closer towards him and he started placing a few thinly sliced pieces of meat into the boiling pot.

Yami watched as Mokuba lowered piece after piece of red meat into the broth and pulled it out slowly, fully cooked and dripping with delicious broth.

Yami glanced uncertainly at Kaiba, who was staring intently at him, his clear blue eyes burning holes through his skin.

Yami looked away quickly, his heart thudding loudly in his ears.

Kaiba smirked and he leaned closer towards Yami, pointing at each plate of red meat.

"Lamb," Kaiba said, his slender fingers wrapped around his chopsticks gently, pointing at a plate of tightly rolled pieces of meat, "They arrange it in rolls, so the flavor comes out nicer in the broth. This one is beef," Kaiba pointed at a plate with slightly thicker slices of meat, "And this one is pork." He pointed at another almost identical plate of red marbled meat.

"How can you tell?" Yami asked tentatively, his eyes darting between the plates of meat, unable to tell them apart despite Kaiba's explanation.

"They're slightly...different in color." Kaiba said, and he lifted several thin slices effortlessly into the boiling pot in front of them. "Go ahead, eat as much as you want."

"Pash..mushroomsh pleash!" Mokuba said, his mouth stuffed full, pointing at the plate of mushrooms and seaweed beside his older brother.

Kaiba nodded and picked up several large chopsticks full of food and sunk them into the broth in front of Mokuba. Yami's mouth began to water painfully as he watched the seaweed and large stemmed mushrooms sink beneath the surface of the boiling broth.

"Go ahead!" Kaiba urged, fully aware of Yami's hesitation, "Just ...grab whatever you want from inside the pot. I'll be refilling it as we go."

Yami swallowed thickly and nodded, picking up his chopsticks carefully, he eyed the pot as several large slices of meat floated to the surface, bobbing up and down invitingly at him.

"They're cooking too hard!" Mokuba cried, dipping his chopsticks in first, quickly raising the slices of meat out of the boiling pot, "Yami, you can't let them sit in there for too long! They cook instantly!"

Kaiba laughed as he placed more slices into the pot, making sure to push them around the rim, closer towards Yami, "And what if he prefers them to be cooked harder, Mokuba?"

"Everyone should eat them tender." Mokuba said firmly, shoving the slice into his mouth noisily.

Yami felt his ears ring slightly as Kaiba's laugh floated wonderfully around the booth, and he stared at the boiling pot, his stomach churning with uncertainty and hunger.

"Let's try that again." Kaiba said gently as a few more slices of meat floated to the surface of the pot, "Now, now! Yami...grab it!"

Yami blinked when he heard Kaiba say his name and snapped out of his stupor, quickly dipping his chopsticks into the pot, he lifted out several beautifully cooked slices of meat. He placed it onto his plate, watching the steam rising up pleasantly.

"Now dip them in either of these." Kaiba pushed two tiny plates of sauces towards him, one was light and creamy, the other was thick and watery. "Ponzu, goma." Kaiba said quickly, angling his chopsticks into the pans accordingly. "Try them both...or..do what Mokuba is doing."

Yami glanced over at Mokuba, who was readily dipping both of his meats into the sauces, mixing them together vigorously on his plate, before shoveling it into his mouth hastily.

Yami nodded and picked up his meat, carefully placing it into the light colored sauce. Kaiba was watching his every move and Yami was finding it difficult to focus on anything. He returned the slice to his plate and brought the meat up to his mouth, taking a delicate bite.

It was warm, juicy and absolutely delicious. The meat was definitely better tender, Mokuba was right. The sauce added a sweet tanginess at the end of his palate, and Yami enjoyed it immensely, smiling a little in spite of himself.

The Kaiba brothers nodded approvingly at Yami in unison.

"Yeah, it's good right?" Mokuba cried, "You should try mixing them! Seto, more lamb and pork please..!"

"You need some vegetables," Kaiba growled as he gently placed a few large helpings of carrots, potatoes, tofu, and cabbage into the pot.

Mokuba groaned but he kept his gaze eagerly fixed on Seto's chopsticks as he lowered more meat into the pot in front of Yami.

"Why does Yami get meat and I don't?" Mokuba whined, watching the meat bubble to the surface. Yami dipped his chopsticks in and snatched it up quickly, placing it onto his plate. Everything was too delicious to pass up.

"Because..." Kaiba said patiently "While you managed to eat one whole plate of meat by yourself, Yami has only managed to have once slice." Kaiba placed several more pieces of meat into the pot and pointed at the piece of cabbage floating in front of Mokuba. "Vegetables."

"Tch." Mokuba tossed his hair back with a huff and dragged a the cabbage out of the pot reluctantly. Kaiba nodded, satisfied, and he sighed contentedly.  
_Finally_ , now, he could eat.

He quickly pushed a pile of green onions and leeks into the pot and gave everything a quick stir. Kaiba lifted several large portions of meat clipped tightly together between a few leaves of cabbage and placed them onto his plate. He ate slowly, his eyes roaming over the table at Mokuba, who was energetically eating a chunk of tofu, and at Yami who was thoughtfully chewing.

The atmosphere was soft and pleasant as they ate in silence, with the occasional clink of the chopsticks hitting against the edge of the bowl whenever anyone pulled something out of the pot.

Yami was enjoying himself thoroughly. He would watch as Kaiba repeatedly filled the pot to the brim with fresh meat and vegetables, smiling gently. Yami felt oddly light; everything at the table felt so normal, it was almost as if they were dining together as...a family.

Yami swallowed nervously at the thought and almost choked on a mushroom stem. Kaiba noticed this immediately and spoke up, "You okay?" his eyes were soft around the corners.

Yami nodded, his eyes watering. He patted a napkin to his mouth and lowered his head to continue eating.

"Seto, can I have soda?" Mokuba asked suddenly, pointing at the red button beside Yami's head.

Kaiba pulled his phone out from his pocket to check the time. Realizing it was almost 9:30, he shook his head at Mokuba gently, "Water...or milk."

"Rrrhg!" Mokuba set his chopsticks down with a loud clatter, "It's only cuz we're always having dinner so late, you won't let me have a soda!"

Yami eyed the Kaiba brothers strangely. It was like he was watching a movie play out right in front of his eyes.

Kaiba set his chopsticks down with a _clack!_ , knowing Mokuba was challenging him on purpose, expecting him to be more lenient in front of Yami, "No." he said firmly.

"I would like a soda." Yami said, managing a small smile as he reached up to press the red button beside his head.

The Kaiba brothers ignored him as they stared unblinkingly at each other from across the table.

"Yami's getting a soda." Mokuba said ostentatiously, "So I want one too."

"You are not the guest." Kaiba said simply as he picked up his chopsticks to fish out a chunk of potato from the pot.

"Please Seto!" Mokuba almost shouted, "I just want the fizzy lime flavor! It goes so well with the sour sauce!"

The waitress appeared beside the cart, bobbing her head respectfully, holding up her pen and pad, "Order?"

Yami leaned forwards, the tips of his blonde bangs almost brushing Kaiba across the face, "I would like a..fizzy lime soda, please." Yami said, and he winked playfully at Mokuba.

Mokuba's mouth dropped open and Yami felt Kaiba tense beside him.

"Yes of course. Anything else?" the waitress asked, her eyes darting around the table nervously at Kaiba and Mokuba.

"Nothing, thank you." Yami said deeply, and he leaned back onto his pillow, dipping his chopsticks into the pot to grab another bunch of long stemmed mushrooms.

The waitress left quickly and Yami could feel the silence grow thicker around the table as they continued to eat.

Yami snuck a glance beside him and noticed Kaiba was sitting very still, his slender fingers gripped the chopsticks tightly and a piece of carrot was sliding precariously off the end.

Yami looked up and saw Mokuba glancing around the room hopefully, waiting for the waitress to return. He turned away and went back to eating, guessing that Kaiba was probably angry.

Kaiba's pulse was racing a thousand beats per minute. He wasn't angry that Yami had just ordered a soda for Mokuba. He was trying to restrain himself from leaning forwards and burying his nose into Yami's hair.

The waitress appeared by their table and set a sparkling glass filled with a clear, carbonated beverage down on the table in front of Yami; a wedge of lime was placed artfully on the rim and Yami could smell the sweet tartness from the bubbles as they fizzed happily over the surface.

Mokuba looked at him expectantly, his eyes large and hopeful.

Yami picked up the glass and set it in front of Mokuba, carefully avoiding the hot flame in the middle. "All yours." Yami said, "Thank you, Mokuba."

Mokuba accepted it happily, looking slightly confused "Thank..you?"

"For pulling me out of the crowd by the doorway." Yami said, nodding.

"Oh, that." Mokuba smiled almost evilly at older brother, "See, Seto? I deserve this soda."

Kaiba placed a warm hand on Yami's leg and smiled back at Mokuba playfully, "Yeah you definitely earned that one kiddo."

Mokuba cackled triumphantly as he sipped his drink and picked his chopsticks back up once more.

Yami tensed and froze up, the heat from Kaiba's hand seared his leg and traveled all the way up through his body. So, Kaiba wasn't angry? In fact, quite the opposite.

Yami sat very still, afraid if he moved, Kaiba's hand would leave his leg.

"You sure you don't want one as well?" Kaiba asked lightly, looking deeply into Yami's dark violet eyes.

Yami felt a lump rise up in his throat as he tried to respond but his voice caught and he shook his head quickly.

Mokuba looked up from his plate, watching Yami redden slowly as Seto smiled at him. He rolled his eyes and sipped his drink; he felt like a third wheel on a half-date with Seto and Yami.

 _They aren't yelling at each other, which is a start_ , Mokuba mused, quickly spooning more meat into the pot before Seto saw him. Something good must've happened between them lately.

Yami turned away from Kaiba's heated gaze, afraid to look down at his leg where Kaiba's hand rested so casually. He chose to stare at the bubbling pot instead, but caught Mokuba's mischievous grin at him from across the table.

"Kiss already." Mokuba said carelessly, flicking the lime wedge off the rim of his drink and taking another big gulp.

Yami felt his entire being heat up as Kaiba's hand tightened around his knee. He blinked slowly at Mokuba as a rosy tinge crept over his complexion.

"Soda privileges revoked." Kaiba snapped as he lifted Mokuba's half-finished drink up over the boiling pot and placed it down in front of himself with a heavy clink.

"I was already done drinking it anyway." Mokuba shot back, absently stabbing one of his chopsticks through a chunk of tofu in the pot.

"Use your chopsticks properly." Kaiba said aggressively, unaware that he was squeezing Yami's leg tighter and tighter.

Yami winced as he felt Kaiba's slender fingers curl around his knee almost painfully, and he realized Kaiba was probably feeling just as embarrassed.

Mokuba stuck his tongue out at his older brother, knowing the more he annoyed Seto, the more he would win. Anything that would normally get him in trouble was less punishable when in Yami's company, Mokuba knew that much.

"You look like you want to go home early." Kaiba growled, his palms beginning to sweat against the leather of Yami's pants.

"Yeah, call Isono. I'm done eating." Mokuba challenged rudely, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms.

Kaiba slipped his hand into his pocket threateningly, holding up his phone high above the table at Mokuba. "Last chance. Behave."

Yami's eyes darted frantically between Kaiba and Mokuba, his eyes wide with amusement. He had never seen Mokuba act this unruly before, but Yami guessed it was probably due to the casualness of the atmosphere. That, and he figured it was also partially his fault for ordering him the soda in the first place.

The pot at the center of the table had lowered to a low bubble, the flame was beginning to die out.

Mokuba jutted out his lower lip and pouted, "I wanna stay...to watch you and Yami K-I-S-S-I-"

Kaiba stood up suddenly and reached a long, slender arm to yank Mokuba up from his seat and pull him roughly towards the edge of the booth.

Yami felt the heat from Kaiba's hand leave his leg instantly and he shivered inadvertently at the sudden change in temperature.

"Shoes, on. Now." Kaiba said through gritted teeth. He knew Mokuba was playing him, and he couldn't appreciate it more.

Mokuba threw him a sly grin as he quietly obliged, bending down to tap his shoes on firmly. Kaiba also slipped his shoes on and quickly nodded at Yami, "I'll be right..back." He said as he glared down at Mokuba who beamed up at him brightly.

Yami watched as Kaiba dragged Mokuba out through the restaurant firmly by the arm, and he tried to restrain the laugh that was tickling his throat. He glanced around the now empty booth and over at the large stack of plates which once held mountains of meat and vegetables.

Yami couldn't help but feel oddly warm inside. The evening was actually turning out to be very pleasant, despite Mokuba's strange behavior.

The waitress stopped by again and looked around, confused.

Yami quickly bowed his head down politely at her and said hastily, "Kaiba will be back soon."

The waitress nodded and placed a tall menu in a neat leather sleeve on the table in front of Yami. "Wine and dessert?" she asked, and she gestured towards the low bubbling pot, "Finished?"

Yami glanced over at the pot and shook his head, recalling that Kaiba actually hadn't eaten very much because he had been so busy placing the food into the pot for everyone else.

The waitress nodded and pointed at the half-empty soda glass sitting in front of Kaiba's spot on the table, "Re-fill?" she asked, clearly trying to service the table in some way.

Yami shook his head politely again and smiled at her, "No, thank you."

The waitress paused as her eyes darted around the empty booth. Suddenly, her demeanor changed and she placed her pad and pen down quickly in front of Yami, "A-Autograph?"

Yami felt his blood run cold as he stared up at her hopeful face. He could technically forge Yugi's signature, after all, Yugi had taught him how, for situations like this.

"No, that won't be happening." Kaiba said coldly, suddenly appearing behind the waitress. She yelped and hiccuped in fear, tottering back slightly as Kaiba towered over her threateningly from his height.

"S-Sorry." She gasped and she ducked away, bumping her hip clumsily into the cart, causing a loud rattle which startled the guests in the neighboring booths.

Yami relaxed as he felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had never been so glad to see Kaiba, "Thank you." Yami said, hoping his voice portrayed his gratitude accurately.

Kaiba slid his shoes off and settled himself down comfortably beside Yami once again. He stared down at the pad and pen resting in front of Yami and he picked it up, twirling the pen absently in his fingers, "You're welcome." he said softly, carefully avoiding Yami's eyes.

Yami felt another large lump rise up in his throat as he heard Kaiba speak softly, reminding him suddenly, of Hiro.

Yami flushed deeply and turned back to stare at the pot in the center of the table and the metal edge gleamed brightly back at him, as if taunting him. Yami still remembered Hiro's request for Kaiba's signature from the other day, and Yami's heart began to thud loudly in his chest as he watched Kaiba's slender fingers twirl the pen absently.

Kaiba felt Yami's mood shift and he looked curiously over at Yami, setting the pad down onto the table, "What is it?" he asked, picking up his chopsticks once more to continue eating.

Yami blinked rapidly, the brightness of the metal pot burned into his eyes as he considered asking for Kaiba's signature again, for Hiro...and then Yami suddenly realized his mistake. He should've asked for it when Mokuba was still at the table! Yami gripped his knees and berated himself for his stupidity.

Kaiba noticed Yami's fingers tightening around his knees and he placed a gentle hand over Yami's much smaller one, "You can tell me." He said, setting down his chopsticks and shifting himself to face Yami.

Yami took a deep breath, trying to ignore the heat from Kaiba's hand, which was once again seeping into his own and he braced himself for the pleasant evening to go crashing downhill immediately as soon as he asked for Kaiba's autograph.

"Do you think..If it's not too much trouble..your signature. Please." Yami spoke in broken sentences, his thoughts interrupting his speech terribly.

 _Ah, that_. Kaiba thought darkly, but he knew Hiro wouldn't be around to receive the signature from Yami, so he complied willingly.

Yami felt himself shiver again as Kaiba's warm hand left his own, and he watched with bated breath as Kaiba reached for the paper.

Kaiba picked up the pad and pen, swirling his name boldly across the page. He tore it out with a flourish and handed it to Yami, smiling in the most charming way he could manage.

Yami's heart skipped a beat as Kaiba signed the pad without a comment, and handed the slip to him with a sweet, boyish smile. Yami wondered faintly if this was really Seto Kaiba who was sitting beside him, and not a strange doppelganger. Kaiba usually always asked for something in return, but this time was different. Why? Perhaps his presence at this dinner was an acceptable replacement for the kiss he had asked for earlier?

Kaiba watched as Yami seemed to struggle with himself before carefully lifting the slip out from between his slender fingers and folding it into his lap quietly.

 _Have fun finding Hiro and giving that to him,_ Kaiba thought savagely as he picked his chopsticks up once more, lifting the last pieces of meat and vegetables out from the pot. Unsurprisingly though, he had lost his appetite.

Kaiba caught the waitress peeking towards their booth skittishly, and he waved her over. She blushed and bobbed her head, scurrying over to their table quickly.

"Check please." Kaiba said slowly, pointedly staring right through her.

She nodded silently and hurried away.

Yami ran his fingers over the thin slip of paper, feeling slightly electrified. For some reason, he couldn't find it in himself to let got of it. Now that he had it, Yami didn't feel like giving it to Hiro. Yami slowly slid it into the pocket of his hoodie and lowered his hands back down into his lap.

"Thank you." Yami said silently, unsure if Kaiba had heard him.

Kaiba nodded absently and he ran a tired hand through his hair, ruffling his bangs up from off his forehead, suddenly regretting sending Mokuba home alone.

Yami couldn't tear his eyes away from Kaiba's face as he watched Kaiba flip his hair back tiredly, briefly exposing his sloping brow. Yami's vision began to shift slightly as he began to wonder if he was dreaming. Kaiba definitely looked a lot more like Hiro in that moment than he ever did previously.

Kaiba was very aware of Yami staring at him and drummed his fingers on the table nervously, waiting for the waitress to return with their tab.

Yami palmed his phone unconsciously, Anzu's words echoing around in his head..." _You don't owe him anything...yet .."_ And Yami felt himself relax. That meant he didn't have to feel bad about enjoying himself here tonight with Kaiba...

The waitress returned with the tab and Kaiba quickly slid a credit card over onto the tray. She bowed deeply again and rushed away, almost bumping into her co-worker who was craning her neck, trying to catch a peek into their booth.

Kaiba glanced carefully over at Yami, noticing that Yami was tightly gripping his phone in his pocket. He could see the outlines of Yami's knuckles against the leather of his pants, and Kaiba felt a twinge of annoyance.

Yami was probably waiting for _Hiro_ to text him, Kaiba thought spitefully as he leaned back and scooted himself even closer to Yami. There could be a way to remedy that...

Kaiba turned to smile softly at Yami, "Waiting for a call?" he asked slyly as Yami's eyes widened at him in surprise.

Yami slowly withdrew his hand out from his pocket, cursing internally at himself, "No." he said quickly, feeling the blood rush to his head as Kaiba leaned in closer to him. Kaiba was sharp, as usual.

Kaiba reached his hand slowly into his own pocket and slid out his phone. He placed it onto the table in front of Yami, waving at it casually, "Well, since we've got nothing else better to do while we wait for the waitress to return, go ahead and put your number in my phone."

Kaiba turned his gaze outwards towards the restaurant, searching for their waitress, secretly glad that she was taking a while to return.

Yami swallowed nervously and stared intently at the phone as the chrome buttons gleamed back at him underneath the lights. This could either be a good thing...or a bad thing.

Kaiba leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. He could practically feel Yami's mind racing as he spoke. "Go on." Kaiba urged, his heart pounding loudly in his ears, "How else am I going to know when you decide to show up? You're always dropping by unannounced at 3 AM. A warning would be nice."

Yami felt himself blush and he nodded stiffly, reaching for the phone. He picked it up carefully, noting that it was still warm from being inside Kaiba's pocket. He felt himself heat up even more as he realized the phone was locked. Yami turned towards Kaiba, and held the phone out to him, embarrassed, "Your...password, Kaiba?"

Kaiba wasn't looking at him. He was staring out at the busy restaurant, looking as if he was waiting for the girl to return with their tab.

"Five..." Kaiba said slowly, not trusting himself to look Yami in the eye. It was too dangerous. "Eight...one..."

Kaiba continued to list the numbers out loud, not turning around to see if Yami was tapping in the numbers-he wasn't sure if he could take it.

Yami froze. _Was Kaiba giving him his password?!  
_

Yami held his breath and quickly committed the numbers to memory as he typed them in with a trembling finger. To his immense excitement, the phone unlocked and a familiar set of icons appeared on the screen. What caught Yami's eye, however, was the screen background. It was Mokuba, or rather, Mokuba's legs, sticking upwards at an awkward angle from over the edge of a white sofa, the rest of his body obscured by the back of the couch.

Yami laughed, deeply amused, "What is this?"

"Oh that.." Kaiba said, trying to keep his voice steady, "That was Mokuba trying to do a handstand. He asked me to take a photo of him as proof he could do one. Obviously...he can't."

Kaiba turned to smile at Yami; it was getting easier and easier to be himself now that he had heard Yami laugh.

Yami felt his spirits soar when he saw Kaiba smile at him, and he looked away quickly, keeping his gaze fixed on the phone but not really seeing anything on the screen. "I'll...add myself here.." Yami murmured, tapping on the address book icon and he quickly entered his information.

The waitress chose this moment to return and Kaiba quickly grabbed his credit card off the tray with practiced fingers, and he nodded silently at her in thanks. She wavered at the edge of the table, her eyes constantly drifting over his head to stare at Yami, who was busying himself with the phone.

 _Oh stop staring at him,_ Kaiba fumed privately, and he shot her a glare, knowing she probably still wanted to try asking for "Yugi's" autograph.

"Thank you...Kaiba." Yami said, his voice faltering as he looked up and caught the waitress's gaze.

"Your phone." Yami mumbled and he slid the phone back across the table towards Kaiba, who was glaring menacingly at the waitress.

"Thank you. You may leave now." Kaiba enunciated, trying to control his temper. Could this bitch stop staring and just leave?

The waitress bravely held out her pen and pad towards him, "I was wondering if perhaps, I could have _your_ autograph Mr. Kaiba. Th-They won't let me keep the receipt you signed."

"No." Kaiba said firmly, slipping his phone back into his pocket as he turned towards Yami, "Let's go."

Yami nodded, feeling slightly lightheaded as he watched the waitress flush with embarrassment as she turned to leave.

Kaiba stood smoothly and slipped his shoes on, watching as Yami followed suit with his head ducked down, blonde bangs obscuring his eyes, making him unreadable.

Yami's mind was racing as his shoe rubbed painfully against the back of his heel as he shoved his foot down with force. He watched Kaiba turn and walk towards the doorway, and Yami hurried to catch up, his heart thudding loudly in his ears.

They exited the restaurant without any further hassle from the staff and Yami was thankful to see that it was relatively empty outside, the crowd had vanished and the plaza seemed deserted. He walked a few paces behind Kaiba, watching the heels of Kaiba's shoes touch the pavement and lift up again as he stepped forwards.

Kaiba shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked resolutely forwards, slowing his pace as he waited for Yami to catch up, irritated because he seemed to be dragging behind on purpose.

Kaiba decided to pause at the top of the stairs and suddenly, he felt Yami bump into his back slightly. _  
_

_He's not paying attention_ , Kaiba realized and he turned around to quickly grab Yami by the hand.

Yami felt Kaiba's cool, slender fingers slip gently through his and lead him slowly down the stairs.

Kaiba felt Yami tense but he kept pulling forwards, keeping his gaze fixed firmly ahead, hoping and praying that Yami wouldn't pull away.

Yami blinked and blinked, his heart pounding painfully in his chest as they walked through the plaza, hand in hand. Every step he took felt light and airy, it was as though he was walking on an endless cloud.

He kept looking down at their hands, the tips of Kaiba's beautifully manicured fingers shone back at him and Yami felt himself grow lightheaded.

Everything felt surreal. The lights in the trees seemed to glow back brighter at him than before and several people turned their heads to stare, but Yami ignored them. Where were they going? It didn't matter. Nothing mattered except for the warmth of Kaiba's hand seeping into his. Yami couldn't believe Kaiba was touching him so casually.

Their pace slowed and Yami realized they had stopped walking. He tore his gaze away from their hands and glanced up. They had arrived in front of a quaint storefront with a low hanging door frame, tucked away at the end of the building.

Yami couldn't help but smile when he noticed the top of Kaiba's head just barely brushed the top edge of the door frame as he ducked down to step through the entrance. Yami followed, still enjoying the feeling of their fingers interlaced.

A light, sweet smell drifted past his nose and Yami turned his head to follow the scent, intrigued. He looked around the store, taking in the rows and rows of shelves set up neatly around them. A convenience store? Yami thought faintly as Kaiba led him around the store slowly. The aisles were narrow, causing Kaiba to stay a few steps ahead of him.

Kaiba's gaze swept calculatingly around the shop, trying to locate the source of the sweet smell. He had seen the lovey-dovey couple on the bench enjoying a soft serve earlier, he could've sworn this was where they had gotten it from. His ears were ringing so loudly with excitement causing everything to sound tinny. He was holding Yami's hand successfully and Yami didn't seem to mind. He needed to keep this up somehow.

They had already walked the length of the store and Kaiba was starting to panic. There was no soft serve machine in sight, and the store seemed to be deserted. Where was the attendant?

They approached the front counter and Kaiba leaned over it, looking for the store clerk. The sweet smell grew even stronger and he spied several large bags of freshly spun cotton candy propped up along the edge within arm's reach.

Yami stared at the tiny bell sitting on the counter and he watched as Kaiba craned his neck, searching for the store owner. "There is a bell." Yami said, nodding at the little silver dome sitting on the edge of the glass counter.

Kaiba smiled and nodded softly at Yami, reaching out to tap his finger quickly over the ringer. The sharp clang rang out through the store, and Kaiba gripped Yami's hand tightly in anticipation. No one came.

Yami shifted uncertainly, feeling Kaiba squeeze his hand, "Is there something you wanted to get?"

Kaiba stepped back and bent down, almost pressing his cheek against Yami's as he pointed behind the counter, "Look."

Yami's breath caught in his throat as Kaiba's hair tickled his ear. He followed Kaiba's finger, his eyes landing on several large clouds of white cotton candy, sitting individually propped up on a tray in their pointed cones.

"Oh.." Yami breathed, his heart fluttering wildly as he realized he wanted one, badly. Yami briefly recalled the last time he had spun sugar, and it was almost a year ago, on fair grounds. Strangely enough, Yami mused privately, if he remembered correctly, they were at Kaiba Land...

"Want one?" Kaiba asked, his blue eyes gleaming excitedly as he flashed a dazzling smile.

Yami nodded faintly, slightly love-struck. Had Kaiba always been this expressive or was he only noticing this now?

Kaiba smiled lightly again, secretly glad the store attendant was absent. He slipped his free hand into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Kaiba flipped it open and leaned it towards Yami, a few crisp bills peeked out over the edge, pressed against the folds of the leather.

Yami stifled a gasp, narrowing his eyes at Kaiba, wondering what had gotten into him.

"We're going to pay. How much do you think we should leave?" Kaiba asked earnestly, unaware of Yami's distress.

Yami's voice caught in his throat as he tried to respond, "500* yen, perhaps?"

"Okay," Kaiba frowned slightly, "Well I don't carry change, so I guess we'll be leaving 2,000* yen. Would you mind grabbing it?"

Kaiba swept his thumb gently over the back of Yami's hand and gave him a reassuring squeeze, not wanting to let go. He would rather have Yami reach inside his wallet than let go of his hand.

Yami nodded, feeling slightly dizzy, he pinched the corner of the bill nearest to him and slid it out with a shaking hand, watching as Kaiba shuffled the wallet back into his back pocket.

Kaiba reached over and lifted the bell, "Why don't we place it under here?"

Yami nodded again and complied, his heart skipping a few beats as Kaiba's thumb warmly caressed the back of his hand.

Kaiba leaned over the counter and picked up the largest, fluffiest one and handed one to Yami.

Yami slowly accepted the cone from Kaiba, staring at the large clouds of spun sugar hovering dangerously close to his nose. He blinked nervously, "Are you sure..?"

Suddenly, the quiet squeaking of door hinges sounded behind them and Kaiba gripped Yami's hand tightly and whispered, "Quick, let's go!"

Yami heart was pounding so loudly, it hurt. He nodded, curling his fingers into Kaiba's grasp in response and they rushed out the door, just as they heard the storekeeper let out a surprised yell behind them.

The cool night air rushed through Yami's hair pleasantly and he felt a laugh bubbling up in his chest as gripped the paper cone tightly. He looked up at Kaiba, who smiled handsomely back down at him, his light brown hair was ruffled messily by the wind.

Yami felt a wonderful fluttering rise up inside him and he burst out laughing. He gripped Kaiba's hand gleefully, turning his head to look over his shoulder at the shop keeper who was standing dumbstruck, at the entryway of his shop, clutching the 2,000 yen note.

"I think ...he wanted to give you your...change." Yami said, barely able to speak though peals of laughter.

Kaiba felt his mouth grow dry as Yami's laughter rang pleasantly through the air, causing goosebumps to run up and down his arms. He shivered and managed another small smile, "Well, he can keep it."

Yami smiled happily at the cone in his hand, turning the cotton candy around, inspecting it from every angle. He could see the lights from the trees sparkling through the layers of the sugar, and he held it up higher, exhilarated.  
Dare he feel this happy?

Kaiba felt his breath catch as he watched Yami twirl the cotton candy playfully, watching the lights pass through the threads of spun sugar. He felt like crying and laughing at the same time, seeing how much Yami was enjoying himself. He squeezed Yami's hand warmly, delighted.

"What you're holding," Kaiba said, biting back a laugh, "Is probably the most expensive cotton candy in all of Domino."

Yami laughed again and smiled mischievously back at Kaiba, "Well, let's hope it tastes good then."

"Yes." Kaiba said simply. His chest grew tight at the sound of Yami's laughter once again and he felt as though he was about to explode with euphoria.

Yami leaned forward and buried his nose in the sugar cloud, inhaling it's wonderfully sweet scent. He couldn't find the words to describe his happiness. After having a pleasant dinner together, they were now laughing and joking around like old friends. Was he dreaming?

"Let's take a seat, over here." Kaiba said gently, leading Yami over towards the benches by the fountain in the center of the plaza.

Yami obliged and sat himself down happily, glancing around them with great interest. He had seen the couple sitting on this bench earlier...had Kaiba noticed him watching them?

Kaiba settled himself snugly beside Yami, their legs pushed tightly against each other as they sat quietly together on the bench. He looked over at Yami, enjoying the way the shadows fell lightly across his delicate features in the semi-darkness. His eyes traveled down to their hands, their fingers still gently intertwined. By some miracle, Yami still hadn't pushed him away.

The quiet rushing of the water echoed around the empty plaza and Yami raised his head to look up into the night sky, noticing a few silver stars sparkling from behind a few wispy clouds. He felt the corners of his vision blur slightly as his eyes heated up with emotion.

Kaiba noticed Yami's grip loosen around the paper cone, the fluffy cloud of sugar drooping precariously downwards. He nudged Yami gently with his shoulder, waiting for a response.

Yami blinked, staring at a blank spot in the sky, feeling strangely overwhelmed.

Suddenly, a hand shot across his face and a pair of slender fingers pinched a large chunk out of his cotton candy. Yami cried out, startled, "H-Hey!"

Kaiba smirked at Yami and quickly placed the puff of sugar in his mouth, feeling the sugar melt softly on his tongue.

"You weren't paying attention." Kaiba said playfully, reaching over to grab another pinch of sugar. Yami tried to yank the cone out from Kaiba's grasp, but Kaiba's arms were longer. He managed grab another large pinch of the cotton candy and he licked it triumphantly off his fingers.

Yami swallowed nervously, his eyes following Kaiba's tongue as it flicked out to lick the tips of his slender fingers briefly.

Kaiba felt Yami's eyes follow his fingers and he flashed him a boyish grin, "What? Can't share?"

Yami lowered the cone back in front of his face, slightly disgruntled, "I'll let you have...some."

"You will let me have _some?_ " Kaiba echoed gleefully as he squeezed Yami's hand gently, "Shouldn't it be the other way around? I will let _you_ have some. Give that to me." He abruptly let go of Yami's hand and snatched the cone out of his grasp, leaning back into the bench with a devilish smile.

Yami's mouth dropped open in silent protest as the paper cone suddenly slipped out from his fingers as Kaiba grabbed it from him. Yami folded his arms across his chest, irritated. He hadn't managed to have any yet and Kaiba was already acting selfish as usual.

"Kaiba...!" Yami cried, trying to keep the dismay from creeping into his voice.

"I'll let you have some...relax!" Kaiba said, dipping his fingers into the puffy cloud of sugar and pulling back a few soft threads.

Yami's gaze followed the trail of sugar, his mouth watering. He knew Kaiba was teasing him but he didn't care, he really wanted some.

Kaiba held the small puff of spun sugar invitingly in front of Yami's nose, "Here."

Yami narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Kaiba wondering why did Kaiba kept insisting on feeding him things. Was this some sort of power-play?

"Come on," Kaiba wiggled his finger playfully, the trail of cotton candy floated on his finger enticingly.

Yami's frown deepened as he contemplated his options. Kaiba was smiling at him in the most charmingly devious manner, Yami couldn't help himself. He felt his hand move on its own as he grabbed Kaiba's hand firmly, holding it in place. Then, he dipped his head down over Kaiba's finger, quickly biting the puff of cotton candy off the tip of his slender finger.

Kaiba held his breath as he felt Yami's teeth graze the pad of his finger, and he smirked triumphantly, pulling his hand back to grab another large pinch off the cone, holding it out on the tips of his fingers again, for Yami.

Yami blinked as Kaiba pulled another large wad of sugar off the cone and held it out to him, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. He didn't give himself time to think. He grabbed Kaiba's hand again and placed his finger in his mouth, feeling the sugar melt warmly on his tongue. Yami slid his tongue gently along the underside of Kaiba's finger, licking it clean. He watched as Kaiba's cheeks darkened slightly underneath the plaza lights. Was he ...blushing? Yami smiled in spite of himself as he pulled Kaiba's hand away from his mouth.

"Another." Yami said, smirking, watching Kaiba nod slowly, clearly flustered.

Kaiba pulled another puff of sugar from the quickly shrinking cloud of cotton candy and held it out to Yami, his arms and legs shaking. He watched as Yami smiled lightly while licking the candy slowly off his finger, his dark violet eyes sparkling mischievously under the night lights.

He could feel the heat from Yami's mouth melting him faster than the sugar on his finger, causing his heart to pound loudly in his ears. Kaiba felt Yami's tongue swirl gently around the tip of his finger and his stomach swooped suddenly down to the floor. The warmth from Yami's hands touching his, traveled up his arm and slowly crept across his face, burning his cheeks.

"Another." Yami said playfully, releasing Kaiba's hand, feeling a laugh bubble in his chest as he watched Kaiba flush deeply. He was enjoying himself immensely. Kaiba's reactions were both amusing and arousing.

Kaiba withdrew his finger which was still wet with Yami's saliva and he threw Yami a devilish smirk before placing his finger in his mouth. He could taste Yami on the tip of his finger, Kaiba watched as Yami's eyes widened considerably.

Yami felt his mouth go dry as Kaiba stared deeply into his eyes while he gently placed his gleaming wet finger back into his own mouth. Yami felt his face heat up and there was a strange ringing in his ears as his breath quickened.

Kaiba lifted his finger out of his mouth to twirl the piece of the cotton candy off the paper cone and he held it out to Yami.

Yami couldn't bring himself wait for Kaiba's hand to stop in front of his face. He reached over and grabbed Kaiba by the wrist and forcefully yanked his hand towards him, eagerly wrapping his mouth around the tip of Kaiba's candy coated finger.

The sweetness was almost too much for him to bear. Yami felt himself tremble with excitement as he pressed his thumbs into the palm of Kaiba's hand, swirling his tongue delicately over the tip of Kaiba's finger, feeling his nail graze across his tongue slightly. Yami swallowed his sweet, sticky saliva from the cotton candy, wishing he could taste Kaiba instead.

Kaiba tensed as Yami's tongue rolled beneath his finger seductively and it took all of his self control not to thrust his finger into Yami's mouth.

Even though the cotton candy was all gone, Yami kept Kaiba's finger in his mouth, purposely shoving his tongue vigorously over and over along the slender digit.

Kaiba swallowed nervously, unsure if he ought to pull his hand away. His heart was thudding so loudly in his chest, it hurt to breathe, it hurt to think.

Yami's mind was humming pleasantly as he continued to suck lightly on Kaiba's finger, catching the look of pure shock on Kaiba's face. He felt a bubble of satisfaction rise up inside him and he bit down lightly on the edge of Kaiba's knuckle. He felt Kaiba's hand tremble slightly and he smirked. Yami pulled Kaiba's finger out of his mouth and pressed his nose against the center of Kaiba's palm, inhaling the lingering scent from the cotton candy.

Kaiba felt Yami's hot breath pan across his palm and he repressed a shudder, feeling goosebumps raise up his arm as Yami pressed his nose further into his hand.

He opened his mouth to speak but a strange, strangled cry escaped his throat as Yami's tongue suddenly thrust between the gap of his fingers.

Yami smirked as he licked his way up Kaiba's hand, purposely pressing his tongue in and out between the gaps of Kaiba's slender fingers.

Kaiba felt himself grow incredibly hot and aroused at the sight of Yami carefully licking and kissing his way up his hand. His other hand gripped the paper cone so tightly his knuckles began to hurt. Yami looked so lustful and alluring, it was becoming difficult for him to hold back.

Yami felt Kaiba's fingers beginning to curl slowly, so he leaned his head back and smiled flirtatiously at Kaiba, "I'll stop." He said, carefully lowering Kaiba's hand.

Kaiba watched as Yami's lips curled up into a tiny smile and a monstrous wave of need rose up inside him. He lifted his hand up to cup Yami's face gently, sweeping his thumb over Yami's soft cheeks. Kaiba could feel Yami holding his breath and he wondered faintly if it would be okay to kiss him...only one way to find out.

He slid his thumb downwards to Yami's chin and leaned in, his nose barely brushed across Yami's before Yami jerked back suddenly and scrambled frantically on his feet.

Yami stood breathlessly at the edge of the bench, his face red and flushed with embarrassment with his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I got carried away." He said shakily, watching Kaiba's hand hovering in midair where his face was, just seconds ago.

Kaiba felt himself grow increasingly more frustrated as he lowered his hand back down onto his lap, willing himself to stay composed. This was going to take some patience on his part.

He stood smoothly and forced himself to relax. If he wanted the evening to end pleasantly with Yami, he would have to tread carefully from here on out.

"That's fine." Kaiba responded simply and he reached his hand into his pocket for his phone, "Let's go around the corner and wait for Isono."

Yami felt his chest constrict painfully and he nodded, secretly glad that Kaiba was being so complacent.

Kaiba brushed past Yami and deposited the paper cone at a nearby trash can, feeling the sugar beginning to dry sticky on his fingers. He gestured for them to continue walking up the street, and Yami nodded silently again, trying to calm his nerves.

Kaiba carefully walked few paces in front of Yami, trying to calm his racing heart. They reached the end of the street and Kaiba quickly rounded the corner, stepping into the empty parking lot, feeling his phone hum reassuringly back at him. He glanced down at the screen and saw it was a text from Mokuba.

"I'm going to bed." was all he wrote. Kaiba shoved the phone back into his pocket and stood next to an empty parking space at the edge of the lot, watching Yami slowly approach him.

Yami stared at Kaiba's tall frame as he caught up and stood beside him, feeling strangely dizzy. He touched his face, the warmth from Kaiba's hand lingering across his cheek. He felt nervous and giddy. Yami looked up at Kaiba, enjoying the way the street lamp's warm light reflected off of his light brown hair.

"Thank you." Yami said suddenly, "For dinner..and.." he paused, trying to find the words to describe their moment on the bench with the cotton candy.

"Dessert?" Kaiba suggested, smiling slightly, glancing over Yami.

Yami felt himself flush as he nodded and turned to look towards the street, watching as a long, white limousine pulled into the lot and stop directly in front of them with it's headlights beaming harshly.

The passenger door opened and Isono got out, moving towards the back doors to open them. Kaiba waved him away, "I've got it, Isono."

Isono visibly swallowed and dipped his head respectfully, climbing back into the driver's seat without a word.

Kaiba strode forwards and pulled the door open for Yami with a flourish, "Let's get you home."

Yami felt a strange sinking in his stomach when he heard Kaiba say the word "home". He didn't want to return to the game shop...was the night over already?

Kaiba watched Yami's face fall slightly as he paused by the door and blinked. Kaiba instantly recognized this as disappointment and he corrected himself immediately, "Or...we could stop by my office...before you head home."

Yami felt a lump rise up in his throat as he nodded, ducking his head to enter the car. As he slid across the leather seats, he couldn't help but think that Kaiba somehow managed to read his mind. He watched as Kaiba folded himself gracefully into the seat beside him and pulled the door firmly shut.

"Isono, we're ready." Kaiba called, and he leaned back into the plush leather, stealing a quick glance over at Yami who was sitting very still beside him.

Yami felt the car pull forwards gently as they drove away, and he secretly wondered if Kaiba also knew he hated minding the game shop. He felt his face heat up with embarrassment, knowing he might be overstaying his welcome, considering how he was always dropping by late at night in an attempt to get out of the house.

Yami gripped his knees tightly, deciding he ought to clarify his intentions to Kaiba, "Kaiba," Yami started, "If it's getting too late, perhaps, you could drop me off at home. I know my unannounced visits inconvenience you greatly."

Kaiba glanced down again and noticed Yami's knuckles were white as he gripped his knees. _What the hell was he playing at?_ Kaiba thought, irritated, _Whatever happened to spending more time together, or had he already forgotten?_

"Well, I could drop you back at the game shop," Kaiba said shrugging, carefully placing his sticky hand on his knee, trying not to touch the leather, "But you spend so much time there already, aren't you sick of being there? In fact..."

Kaiba tossed his bangs out of his eyes as he threw another charming smile over at Yami, "I think you should spend the night. Isono could easily give you a ride to school."

Yami felt his heart leap into his throat and he jerked his head up to look over at Kaiba, unable to believe his ears. Spend the night? At the Kaiba mansion?!

"I-I don't..know about that." Yami struggled, his composure slipping. He didn't have any of his things, but things could easily be acquired by Kaiba's bountiful wealth, now couldn't they? Also, would he worry Yugi?

"Call Yugi and let him know." Kaiba said blandly, examining the nails on his clean hand, watching Yami fidget out of the corner of his eye.

Yami fought with himself for a moment before reaching a shaking hand into his pocket and slipping out his phone. The car made a slight turn and Yami's shoulder knocked roughly into Kaiba's arm, and Yami pushed himself off, blushing slightly.

"Sorry." He said quickly, sliding a thumb across his screen and tapping Yugi's name in his phone.

"Don't worry about it." Kaiba said smoothly, overjoyed that Yami had accepted his offer without complaint.

Yami managed a small smile in Kaiba's direction before the phone began ringing in his ear. One ring, two rings...three rings. Yami frowned. Yugi usually picked up by the fourth or fifth ring. The phone rang all the way through to voicemail and Yugi's voice chirped in his ear, "Hi! Thanks for calling, I'll get back to you soon! Please leave-"

Yami pulled the phone away from his face, irritated. Why hadn't Yugi picked up? Was he asleep?

Kaiba saw Yami frown at his screen and he gently nudged his shoulder against Yami's, "Try the game shop."

Yami gripped his phone tightly and clicked it off, shaking his head, "No. That's fine. If Yugi didn't pick up his personal phone, he most definitely isn't at the front, not at this hour."

Kaiba nodded and turned to gaze out the window, feigning indifference, secretly glad that Yugi was unreachable.

They had stopped in front of the gate at the Kaiba mansion and Yami craned his neck to look out the window, feeling slightly agitated. Isono parked the limousine around the curve of Kaiba's expansive driveway and shut the engine off.

Kaiba quickly reached for the door and climbed out, standing off to the side, eyeing Yami's slender legs as he stepped out of the car after him.

Kaiba glanced up into the second story window, checking to see if Mokuba's window was dark. It wasn't. Kaiba inadvertently ground his teeth, annoyed that Mokuba had lied about "going to sleep". He pulled out his phone to check the time, realizing it was just past midnight and he quickly dialed Mokuba's cell phone, waving Isono away.

Yami watched with great interest as Kaiba glanced up at the house, seemingly irritated.

Mokuba picked up on the second ring, "Seto?"

"Why is your light still on?" Kaiba asked sternly, "It's past midnight."

Suddenly, the light in the second story window went dark. "I'm asleep!" Mokuba insisted.

"Right." Kaiba said, watching Yami smile in amusement. "Well you had better be asleep for real by the time I head up there, which is now."

"Okay Okay!" Mokuba cried, rustling around frantically before hanging up the phone.

Kaiba sighed and gestured for Yami to follow him into the house. Yami happily obliged, feeling every step grow lighter as they neared the large double doors.

Yami watched as Kaiba unlocked the front doors with a key-card and stepped aside, letting him pass through first. He nodded politely as he stepped inside, feeling his phone buzz inside his pocket. Yugi!

Yami fumbled for his phone and glanced at the screen quickly, his prediction confirmed, it was indeed Yugi calling him back. He slid his finger across the bottom and held the phone up to his ear, watching as Kaiba flipped the lights on around them. His breath caught in his throat as the crystal chandelier hanging above them lit the room with a warm glow.

"Yami!" Yugi exclaimed, "Sorry I missed you earlier! My phone was off during my group-study session; it ran late. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Aibou, everything is fine." Yami said quickly, nodding even though he knew Yugi couldn't see him. Kaiba was looking at him strangely and Yami tilted his head at him silently, wondering what it was.

"Do you need a ride back from...wherever you are?" Yugi asked carefully.

Kaiba held the key-card out at Yami, waving it in front of his face, distracting him on purpose.

"I-No, I don't." Yami said stiffly, swatting Kaiba's hand away from his face. "I'm just letting you know I'll be staying over at Kaiba's tonight, so please don't worry."

Yugi felt his heart skip a beat, "I'm sorry, you're what? Where?!"

Kaiba was still waving the key-card in front of Yami's face and he grabbed it furiously, prying it from Kaiba's fingers.

"At...Kaiba's." Yami repeated through clenched teeth, holding the key-card up victoriously, glaring at Kaiba.

Kaiba smirked and turned to head up the stairs, not waiting to see if Yami would follow him.

"Wait!" Yami exclaimed, looking around him frantically. He didn't want to be left alone in such a large, unfamiliar house. Kaiba paused in the middle of the grand staircase, smiling down at Yami playfully.

"Wait...what?" Yugi asked, confused, "Are you talking to me?"

"Sleep well, Yugi, Have a good night." Yami said hastily, hanging up on him.

Kaiba turned to continue heading up the stairs, walking quickly, purposely leaving Yami behind.

"Kaiba, I said wait!" Yami said, almost tripping on one of the steps. He realized he was still holding the key-card, and he rushed forwards, trying to catch up with Kaiba, who had disappeared behind one of the doors at the end of a long hallway.

"Kaiba!" Yami cried, rushing forwards to grab the door handle. It was locked. He glanced down at the key-card in his hand and stared at the small, grey panel beside the door with a tiny dot of red light shining back at him curiously.

Yami raised the key card and tentatively tapped it on the panel. It blinked and turned green as the lock clicked open. Excited, Yami leaned his weight down on the door handle and pushed his way into the room.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

*hugs everyone* *hugs Seket*

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

**\- Next chapter preview -**

Kaiba felt his heart stop in his chest when he saw Yami sitting in the center of his bed, the sheets a mess, hugging one of his pillows. His blood ran cold when he realized it was probably because he had accidentally spritzed himself with Hiro's cologne in a tired haze and then slept in the sheets...naked.


	14. deep inside of me has emerged

Yami cautiously stepped into the room and noticed another elegant chandelier hanging above his head, casting a warm glow across Kaiba's steel desk. Large windows sat behind the desk and sheer white curtains fluttered gently in the wind. Kaiba was nowhere to be seen and Yami's anxiety began to rise. He'd sworn he saw Kaiba walk into this room.

"Kaiba?" Yami called, his voice raising slightly. There was no answer except for the sound of running water coming from behind another closed door and Yami realized Kaiba was probably in the bathroom.

His eyes traveled around the room, noticing a plush, leather lounge propped up in front of a dark screen and his gaze landed on large king-sized bed. Yami walked over to it, wondering how often Kaiba actually slept in it, considering how every time he visited, he was always awake.

Yami ran his fingers across the soft comforter, secretly envying how luxurious it felt beneath his touch. He placed a palm down and felt his weight sink into the mattress heavily. Everything was so soft! Yami threw a quick look over his shoulder at the closed door, making sure Kaiba was still inside the bathroom before he heaved himself onto the bed hastily, not bothering to take off his shoes.

He threw himself face-down onto the bed with a soft _pof!_ and suddenly the scent from Hiro's cologne drifted up around him, engulfing his senses. Yami's eyes widened and he sat up suddenly, his heart thumping loudly in his ears, wondering if his nose was playing tricks on him. Was..the smell of Hiro's cologne actually the scent of detergent?  
Yami shook his head. It wasn't like any kind of detergent he had ever smelled before. It had to be cologne...right?

Yami crawled towards the head of the bed, dipping his face down into one of Kaiba's pillows, searching for the source of the smell. He grabbed one of the pillows and lifted it out from the folds of the sheets, pulling the edge back slightly and leaning his nose down towards the mattress. The scent got lighter.

Yami smiled into the softness and gripped the pillow tightly to his chest, closing his eyes and burying his nose into fabric. This was Hiro's scent. He was sure of it!

Suddenly the bathroom door swung open and Kaiba strode into the room. Yami's eyes shot open as he froze, his pulse racing frantically. He tried to think of a plausible excuse as to why he was on Kaiba's bed.

Kaiba felt his heart stop in his chest when he saw Yami sitting in the center of his bed, the sheets a mess, hugging one of his pillows. His blood ran cold when he realized it was probably because he had accidentally spritzed himself with Hiro's cologne in a tired haze and then slept in the sheets...naked.

There was a long silence as neither of them moved. Kaiba stared and stared at Yami, who was sitting very still, seemingly waiting for him to react one way or another. He noticed Yami's shoes were still on, which meant that the bed was probably the first thing he jumped on when he entered the room, and that thought made him laugh.

Yami gripped the pillow tensely as he heard Kaiba let out a laugh. He dared himself to lift his head and glance over at Kaiba, who was palming his face in amusement, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"What." Yami said defensively, releasing the pillow and shoving it away from him hastily, making a movement to get off the bed.

"No, you're fine." Kaiba said gleefully, moving towards him steadily, "Go ahead, just ...take your shoes off."

Yami reddened and he inched himself towards the edge of the bed, "No, I'm..I'll be leaving."

"Stay." Kaiba said firmly, leaning forwards and pressing his palms down onto the mattress. He kept his head lowered, making sure the tips of his bangs obscured his eyes. He was desperately trying to restrain himself from pinning Yami down onto the bed and spreading him open.

Kaiba could practically feel himself trembling with lust and he forced himself to straighten up again, folding his arms tightly across his chest.

"Just..take your shoes off." Kaiba repeated heavily, turning resolutely away from Yami. He strode over to his desk and pulled the chair out forcefully. Without a second glance at Yami, Kaiba sat down and flipped open his laptop, steeling himself to focus on the enormous workload that had piled up over the week.

Yami sat very still on the bed, his arms and legs tingling with curiosity as he observed Kaiba in his element. The blue glow from the screen cast an eerie glow across Kaiba's pale complexion while his eyes stared unblinkingly at the screen, his fingers flying across the keyboard rhythmically.

Yami frowned and inched himself closer towards the edge of bed, his legs dangling off the side.

Kaiba ignored him, continuing to type furiously. He knew he had to head into the bakery in a few hours, so he was trying to cram as much work as he could. If Yami was going to leave, so be it.

"Kaiba..." Yami hesitated, "May I use your amenities?"

Kaiba paused, his fingers hovered over the keyboard as his mind began to race. His hair dye and cologne were in the bathroom. Shit...! He hadn't thought this through properly.

Kaiba willed himself to keep a straight face as he lowered his hands back down onto the keyboard and calmly resumed typing. "Use the one down the hall." he said softly, his voice barely audible over the clicking of his keys.

Yami stood up off the bed, suppressing a yawn, "Why can't I use..that one?" he asked, pointing to the open door at the end of the room.

Kaiba tensed, "Because that one is..mine. Use the one down the hall. There is a robe and fresh towels on the rack, should you need them."

Yami blinked, nodding slowly, he left the room quietly, making sure to close the door behind him. Kaiba looked up from his screen and waited until he heard Yami's footsteps fade down the hallway before hastily standing up and sprinting over to his closet.

Terror was coursing through his veins as he frantically shoved Hiro's leather bag and several other shirts and shoes into the far back of the closet. Crossing the room and entering the bathroom, Kaiba quickly opened his cabinet and scanned the bottles, making sure the top row of hair dye was well-hidden. Satisfied, he shut the cabinet door and strode out of the bathroom, slamming the door so hard, the mirrors rattled.

What else had he missed? Was that everything? Kaiba felt slightly breathless as his eyes swept the room calculatingly. Other than the sheets which smelled like Hiro's cologne...that seemed to be everything. Wait, Hiro's phone!

Kaiba quickly sat down at his desk and dove his hand into the drawer, his fingers wrapping around the slender frame of Hiro's phone. He tugged it out and tapped the buttons, waiting for the screen to glow back at him. It remained dark. Kaiba let out a long sigh of relief, thankful that he had remembered to shut it off before leaving it in the drawer.

Kaiba shut the drawer with a snap and positioned himself comfortably in front of his computer. He hummed to himself thoughtfully, brushing his fingers lightly over the keys, wondering why Yami was in such a cooperative mood this evening.

Shaking his head slightly, he decided to think about it later and he pulled his focus back to the screen.

In the bathroom across the hall, Yami had just stepped out from under the warm rush of water. He reached around, shutting it off completely. He tugged a fluffy white towel off from its rack beside the shower door.

Yami dried himself quickly and eyed the silky ivory robe hanging on a large chrome bar beside another set of towels. He then looked over at his clothes folded neatly on the counter and he glanced back at the robe. It looked so comfortable...too comfortable to pass up.

Yami made his decision quickly and slid the robe on, sticking his arm through one of the silk sleeves. The cool fabric felt nice against his heated skin and Yami fixed the sash firmly around his waist before catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He was shocked at how sallow his skin looked due to his erratic sleep.

Yami paused, staring at the key-card sitting on top of his neatly folded clothes, wondering if he ought to return to Kaiba's room. He hoped that Kaiba would be too preoccupied with his work to notice him entering, so Yami swept his clothes up in his arms and exited the bathroom quietly.

Kaiba had just hit 'save' when he heard his lock click slightly and saw the door handle turning slowly.

 _He's back_ , Kaiba realized and he sat up even straighter, forcing himself to stay focused as he opened a document containing meeting notes. The words burned into his eyes while he stared resolutely at the screen, his heart pounding loudly with anticipation. He watched as Yami cautiously peeked into the room, his long spiky-haired shadow slid across the floor as the door quietly cracked open wider.

Kaiba smirked and raised his voice slightly, "Just come in. And close the door behind you."

Yami blushed and nodded, stepping into the room quickly and shutting the door behind him silently. He hovered by the door before crossing the room quickly and settling himself down on Kaiba's bed once again, feeling the mattress sink comfortably under his weight.

Kaiba tried not to react as he watched Yami climb onto his bed out of the corner of his eye, noticing that Yami was wearing one of his silk robes. It looked slightly too big and the robe slipped off his shoulders, exposing his slender collarbones. Yami didn't seem to mind that the robe was hanging loosely off his shoulders; he was busy making himself comfortable on the bed.

Yami tucked his legs underneath him, secretly enjoying the light scent from the cologne rising up from the sheets. He sat cross-legged on top of the comforter, pushing his neat stack of clothes towards the end of the bed, making sure to pull his phone out from his pants pocket. He looked up at Kaiba, who seemed to be ignoring him, his slender fingers resolutely tapping across keys.

Yami clicked his phone on and saw that he had a text message from Yugi. He hastily swept his thumb across the screen and read it.

"Are you going to be okay? At ..Kaiba's place?" Yugi wrote.

A small laugh rose up in Yami's throat as he replied simply with a "Yes." and he clicked his phone off.

Kaiba tensed when saw the flicker of Yami's phone screen, his stomach sinking with dread. Who was he texting? Was he texting Hiro?

Kaiba took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm. He stared at his screen, the words blurring slightly as he heard Yami rustling around beside him on the bed.

Was Yami planning on sleeping in his bed?! What were the chances he could actually get some work done tonight with him laying there beside him?

Yami rolled over on the comforter, the fresh scent from Hiro's cologne drifted lightly upwards again and Hiro's smile flashed across of his mind. Yami frowned, flitting his fingers over the fabric, feeling conflicted.

"Kaiba...?" Yami spoke hesitantly, watching Kaiba's expressions carefully.

Kaiba remained emotionless, "What is it?"

"Your sheets...they smell like cologne." Yami said, staring pointedly at him.

"Yep." Kaiba replied aggressively, figuring the less he spoke, it would somehow discourage Yami from questioning him further.

Yami's voice caught in his throat as he spoke again, "Y-You wear cologne? Is...this a popular scent?"

 _Goddammit Yami,_ Kaiba growled to himself but he had an answer prepared, "I wore it for a meeting. And as for it's popularity, I have no idea."

"I see..." Yami's voice trailed off as his mind scrambled for another question that would help shed some light on the familiar scent. "Where...did you get it?"

"It was given to me." Kaiba responded truthfully, still staring resolutely at the screen. He was composing an email and every other word had a red underline.

"What's ..the scent called?" Yami pressed, gripping the sheets tightly, thinking that perhaps, if he knew more about the scent, he would know a little more about Hiro.

"I don't know." Kaiba said shortly, feeling a lump rise up in his throat. It was true, he didn't know what it was called, he hadn't bothered to look.

"Oh, I see." Yami said heavily, his disappointment was obvious.

 _Well_ , Yami mused privately, _if Hiro's family is employed by Kaiba...and this scent was involved, that would explain how Hiro could end up using the same cologne._

The clicking of Kaiba's keyboard echoed pleasantly around the room as Yami felt his shoulders grow heavy with exhaustion. He contemplated laying down, wondering if Kaiba would mind.

Suddenly, Kaiba spoke, "If the fragrance is too heavy, there is a room down the hall with a similar bed."

Yami's eyes widened considerably. Was Kaiba asking him to leave? No, he was being given a choice...which meant he could either sleep in this bed, or in the bed down the hall!

"I'll stay here." Yami said simply, leaning back into the pillows contentedly.

Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch in annoyance. _Yeah, I'll bet you want to stay there because the sheets smell like Hiro,_ he thought savagely, typing so forcefully his nails began to click loudly across the keys.

Yami leaned further back into the pillows, staring up at the high ceiling, the glow from the chandelier left tiny spots in his eyes as he blinked and his thoughts began to blur.

His eyelids grew heavier and heavier as the rhythmic clicking from Kaiba's typing slowly lulled him to sleep. The scent from Hiro's cologne blanketed him comfortably. Yami smiled slightly, feeling as though he was falling asleep on a floating cloud.

Kaiba kept his focus on his screen, gritting his teeth as he flipped through his personal calendar, pleased to see he had made decent progress. He leaned back in his seat, stretching slightly, aiming to tackle next week's workload in advance.

Kaiba realized Yami was being unusually quiet, so he snuck a glance over at the bed, receiving a slight shock.

Yami was fast asleep, curled up comfortably on top of the comforter, his breathing deep and even. Kaiba's breath caught midway in his chest as he watched the steady rise and fall of Yami's chest; it was so hypnotic. He checked the time and realized it was almost time for him to head into the bakery.

Shit...! Kaiba rubbed his temples lightly in frustration. He needed to make sure Yami was fully asleep before leaving the house looking like Hiro.

He stood up quietly and made his way over to the bed, staring at the phone laying loosely in Yami's hand. Kaiba reached for it and gently lifted it out from Yami's grasp. He moved to place it on his desk and pressed the power switch, making sure to turn it off completely.

Sighing heavily, Kaiba pulled open his desk drawer and gripped Hiro's phone tightly. He switched it on and waited for a text from Yami to pop up on the screen. To his great surprise, he had no messages. Kaiba switched the phone off again and carefully placed it back into the drawer, feeling oddly light.

He carefully slid the drawer shut and made sure to lock it by pressing his thumb gently against an electric panel alongside the handle. He heard the lock click as the thumbprint scanner beep softly, and Kaiba withdrew his hand, feeling satisfied.

If Yami were to wake up while he was gone, this would ensure that his snooping wouldn't get too far.

Kaiba glanced over once more at Yami's sleeping form and he quickly strode into the bathroom. He grabbed the bottle of hair dye from the cabinet and contacts from the drawer beneath the sink. His heart was thudding loudly in his ears as Kaiba realized he was cutting it way too close. He gripped the counter tightly, steadying himself.

 _Get it together!_ Kaiba berated himself, _Just a little longer. Hiro will stop seeing Yami at the bakery, and this whole idiotic shit-fest will be over. I could probably get away with him never knowing I was ever Hiro._

He tucked the bottles and contacts under his arm and he walked quietly across the room towards his closet. Kaiba slid the door open carefully, grabbing Hiro's bag and clothes from the back of the closet. His fingers brushed against light cotton fabrics and he tugged them off their hangers frantically.

Kaiba threw another glance over at Yami's sleeping form, holding his breath, watching as Yami's shoulders rose and fell lightly. Was Yami a deep sleeper? If that was the case, Kaiba couldn't believe his luck, but he didn't want to risk waking him with the sound of running water.

He quickly strode out of his room and closed the door softly behind him, rushing across the hall to use the guest bathroom. Kaiba glanced around the spacious bathroom, noting that Yami had used the one towel which had been left neatly folded on the counter beside the sink. Something possessed him to reach out and pick up the towel. He stared at it for several moments before burying his nose into it and inhaling deeply.

A warm, exotic scent filled his lungs and Kaiba felt the blood rush to his head. It was glorious. This was what Yami smelled like. Kaiba set the towel down forcefully, feeling slightly dizzy.

He took a deep breath, willing himself to stay composed as he shoved Hiro's clothes roughly on the counter beside Yami's towel, stripping himself quickly. He stepped into the shower, gripping the bottle of hair dye tightly, thinking it felt strangely light in his hand.

Kaiba stood under the rush of the water, his heart pounding so loudly it was beginning to hurt his chest. He grit his teeth and squeezed, emptying remnants of the bottle into his palm.

 _Well, one down, two left_. Kaiba thought darkly as he stared at the small puddle of black goop sitting in the center of his palm. He carefully ran the dye through his hair, feeling the cold liquid touch his scalp and he winced slightly, vigorously massaging the product into his hair.

Kaiba carefully ducked his head beneath the water again, watching and waiting as the run-off turned grey, and then clear. He quickly shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, grabbing the other towel on the rack, drying himself hastily. Kaiba leaned forwards in the mirror to inspect his hair, checking for any residual brown roots. After seeing none, Kaiba leaned away from his reflection and reached for the contacts.

He peeled the foil back quickly and dipped his slender fingers into the solution, lifting the tiny contact up on his finger. He carefully slipped it into his eye and blinked slowly. Kaiba watched the familiar brown film bubble over his blue corneas and he shook his head slightly, wondering if he would ever get used to seeing himself with blue eyes and black hair. It was too eerie. He quickly slipped the other contact into his eye and blinked, his vision blurring slightly.

Kaiba kept blinking and looked down, catching the tips of Yami's studded shoes sticking out from beside the counter.

 _Oh, he forgot his shoes in here,_ Kaiba thought, biting back an amused laugh as his vision refocused and became clear once more. He stowed the empty bottle of hair dye and the contacts container into his leather bag, aiming to dispose of it later at another location.

He hooked Yami's shoes up on his fingers and swept the bundle of his clothes off the counter, elbowing the door open, quietly making his way back into his room.

Kaiba peeked in through the door, watching for any changes in Yami's movements. He stepped inside carefully and walked softly over to his closet, depositing his clothes onto a rack and gently closing the door.

He dropped Yami's shoes at the edge of the bed and circled around, checking to make sure Yami was still fast asleep.

Yami still hadn't moved and Kaiba let out a small sigh of relief. He strode over towards his desk and picked up his company phone, tucking it away in his back pocket.

The silence was ringing in his ears as Kaiba looked over at Yami's peacefully sleeping form, noticing that Yami's toes were slightly curled from the cold.

Kaiba inched towards the bed carefully, and the ringing grew louder as he got closer. Could he somehow pull the sheets over Yami without waking him?

Before Kaiba could debate it with himself any further, he suddenly found himself standing at the edge of the bed. Kaiba felt slightly dizzy as he stared at Yami, with eyelashes touching his cheeks at a perfect curve which dipped down towards a soft jawline, his blonde bangs brushed messily across the pillows.

He was...beautiful.

His gaze lingered over Yami's dark, pink lips. Kaiba swallowed stiffly as he ached to reach out and touch them.

He carefully stepped forwards and slowly slid an arm beneath Yami's shoulders, his fingers gripped the edge of the comforter tightly. Kaiba paused, waiting for Yami to move.

Yami's breathing was still deep and even.

Kaiba let his breath out slowly pulled the sheets down slowly, gently rolling Yami's body over lightly as he tugged the sheets lower and lower.

He reached Yami's legs and Kaiba carefully slid his other arm beneath them and lifted, pausing again, his heart jumping frantically when he thought he saw Yami's eyelids flutter.

Yami was still deeply asleep, his shoulders rising and falling steadily.

 _Wow_ , Kaiba thought as he quickly tugged the last bit of the comforter out from beneath Yami's feet. _I could probably write something stupid on his forehead and he wouldn't know until he woke up.  
_

Kaiba pulled the sheets up over Yami and gently pushed the edges down around Yami's shoulders, his knuckles grazed lightly across Yami's chin as he tucked the sheets around Yami's body.

Yami shifted, and Kaiba froze, his blood running cold.

Yami's eyelids fluttered slightly, "H-Hiro?" he mumbled faintly.

 _Oh shit, shit, shit...!_ Kaiba's grip tightened over the edge of the sheets as his mind began to race frantically.

"You're dreaming." Kaiba said gently, bringing the covers up over Yami's face, but a pair of hands stopped him and Yami's finger's curled lightly over his knuckles.

 _Oh god...fuck._ Kaiba panned as dread began swirling low in his stomach.

"You're dreaming." Kaiba repeated desperately, breaking out into a cold sweat.

"I know..." came the soft, sleepy reply.

Kaiba stared down at Yami's face, his eyes were closed, but the corners of his mouth were turned upwards in a faint smile.

"I..missed you today..." Yami mumbled softly, reaching a hand up to touch him.

 _Okay...Great,_ Kaiba thought sarcastically as he leaned back out of Yami's reach, pulling the covers up gently beneath Yami's chin, "Go back to sleep."

Yami's eyes were still closed but his hand tightened over Kaiba's knuckles, "I ..will..I...I want...a kiss..."

NO...! Kaiba screamed internally as he tried once again to lift his hand out from Yami's grasp, but Yami held on tightly.

"This.. is my dream..." Yami insisted, cracking his eyelids open slightly.

 _Oh god, no, please don't open your eyes,_ Kaiba prayed and he leaned forwards quickly, gently cupping Yami's face in his hands as he pressed his forehead warmly against Yami's.

"Okay," Kaiba relented, brushing his nose across Yami's soft cheek, feeling his head spin dangerously, "One...ki-" Kaiba was cut off by Yami reaching up and pulling him down forcefully into a kiss. His hand threaded through the back of Kaiba's hair, drawing him in deeper, their lips pressed together insistently.

Yami shoved his silky tongue sleepily into Kaiba's mouth and Kaiba sucked on it hungrily in spite of himself. He could feel Yami weakening and Kaiba pulled back gently, placing a soft kiss on Yami's cheek as he pried Yami's hand out from his hair, lowering it back down onto the sheets with a gentle squeeze.

"I need to go." Kaiba said softly. His pulse was racing too quickly and his throat was closing up with anxiety.

Yami's eyelids began fluttering madly again and Kaiba quickly placed a warm palm over his eyes, feeling Yami's eyelashes brushing gently beneath his fingers.

"O-okay..." Yami struggled, reaching up and pressing the warmth from Kaiba's hand into his face.

Kaiba froze and waited, holding his breath, watching and waiting for Yami's breathing even out again.

With an immense effort, Kaiba lifted his hand away from Yami's face and paused, expecting Yami to suddenly spring upwards, yelling and glaring.

Nothing.

All was quiet as Yami's eyelids stayed shut and his shoulders rose and fell peacefully.

 _Thank...god._ Kaiba curled his fingers into a fist and quickly turned to leave, making sure to close the door softly behind him.

He hurried down the stairs and slipped his phone out, shooting Isono a quick text, "Please take Yami anywhere he needs to go. Text me to let me know where."

Kaiba stuck his phone back into his pocket and stepped into his garage, feeling along the wall for his keys, not bothering to flip on the lights. He made his way over to his car in the darkness, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket. Kaiba ignored it and tucked himself gracefully into his car, slipping the keys into the ignition smoothly and revving the engine.

Kaiba gripped the wheel and backed out of his garage, the roof of his car almost clipping the bottom of the door as he went.

 _Fuck!_ Kaiba cursed as he sped out of his driveway and past the main gate. He felt his uneasiness rising as he pulled into the main road, passing by a few cars in light traffic. Kaiba gripped the wheel even harder, watching his knuckles whiten over the stitched leather. He had just undid all his efforts as Kaiba by kissing Yami as Hiro...and that was a bad thing, even if Yami did think he was dreaming.

Kaiba's anger was rising up hot and fast inside his chest. It was always one step forwards, two steps back. Now, Yami was going to wake up and think of Hiro all damn day, in his own damn house, while sleeping in his bed. That thought almost drove Kaiba insane and he swerved around another car dangerously, almost scraping the passenger-side mirror against the concrete divider.

Kaiba ignored it and pulled his car off the highway, curving it along the exit lane roughly, feeling his knees hit the steering column as he turned.

Suddenly, a pair of red and blue lights flashed in his rear-view mirror. A black and white police cruiser was hugging the end of his car, it's windows dark and menacing.

 _Fuck..me! Goddammit!_ Kaiba cursed and cursed, his head pounding violently with anger and frustration as he pulled the car over onto the side of the road, glaring at the flashing red and blue lights in his rear-view mirror. He watched the cop step out of the car with his flashlight and Kaiba let out his breath slowly, placing his hands on the wheel in full view.

Kaiba heard a genial knock on the glass and he rolled his window down slowly.

"Sir, everything okay here?" The cop asked, almost blinding Kaiba with the flashlight as he peered into the car, his light brown eyes sweeping across the passenger side and the back seat.

"Yes." Kaiba replied shortly, wishing the cop would just write him a ticket and let him go. The clock on the dashboard read 4:45 AM. He had fifteen minutes or he was going to be late.

"Sir, are you aware that you were speeding and swerving dangerously?" The cop asked gently, "Are you driving under the influence?"

"Yes. No." Kaiba said firmly, looking straight ahead, watching the stop lights turn red, and then green.

"License and registration please." The cop said, straightening up and reaching for a scanner hooked on his belt.

Kaiba froze, his arms and legs tingling with horror. He hadn't thought this through. He was currently dressed as Hiro, carrying Seto Kaiba's license, driving a car, registered to Seto Kaiba. To lie, or not to lie...Kaiba gripped the wheel tightly and decided to test his luck.

"I..." Kaiba lowered his head, trying to appear as shameful as possible, "I don't have it on me."

The cop bent his head back down by the window, "Sorry? Repeat that please?"

Kaiba raised his head slowly and met the cop's steady gaze with his soft brown eyes, "I don't have my license, or the car's registration with me."

"I need some kind of identification. How about you let me see your wallet?" The cop asked, frowning.

Kaiba blinked and his body slowly began to numb, "I don't...have my wallet either."

Was this cop fucking serious? His wallet had several thousand yen in it, along with several key-cards with direct access into his company's meeting rooms and vaults.

The cop squinted at him, clicked off his flashlight and leaned his elbows over the edge of the window, bringing his face almost nose-to-nose with Kaiba's.

"I'll ask you again. Is everything okay?" the cop repeated, sounding concerned.

Kaiba swallowed tightly, carefully thinking of a lie. The officer seemed to really want to know if something was wrong. "Well," Kaiba started, speaking slowly, biding his time "It's...stupid."

 _Sitting here is stupid. What I'm doing is stupid!_ Kaiba fumed privately.

Kaiba watched the cop nod solemnly before he spoke again, "It's...my dog."

"What happened to your dog?" The cop squinted at him again and clicked his flashlight on and off. It seemed like a personal tick and Kaiba took this as a good sign. This cop probably had a soft spot for dogs.

"She...vanished a couple days ago." Kaiba lied easily, eyeing the gun on the cop's belt, "She always comes back, but this time..."

Kaiba heard the cop sigh as he leaned into his window again, "Kid, is that why you're out here, at 5 AM, driving around like a maniac? You're looking for your dog, on the freeway?"

"No!" Kaiba exclaimed angrily, "I was heading to the place I last saw her. I go there every day, every 5 hours. I need to make sure...I've decided to leave something there with my scent on it." Kaiba gestured towards his brown leather bag sitting on the floor of his passenger seat.

"Okay." The cop sighed, pulling out a pad and pen, "Dog's name and breed?"

Kaiba paused and tried to look as hopeful as he could manage, "You'll help me find her?"

"No promises," The cop responded gruffly, "Name and breed. Is she chipped?"

Kaiba racked his brain, trying to remember June's words. Was Mei chipped? Probably, definitely not, otherwise she would've been found by now.

"Her name is Mei. She's a white Samoyed, and no, she hasn't been chipped." Kaiba said, feeling hollow.

"Anything else?" The cop asked firmly, clicking his pen steadily. Kaiba eyed the cop's thumb pressing the pen tip over and over.

"Do you have a dog, officer?" Kaiba asked innocently, throwing the cop a small smile.

"Had." The cop said roughly, "Anything else you want to tell me? Before I give you a ticket?"

 _Ah, I'm still getting the ticket,_ Kaiba thought darkly and he lowered his head once more, determined to elicit sympathy from the policeman.

"No..nothing. I just...I hope..she's..." Kaiba swallowed tightly and forced his voice to waver. He slid his hands slowly off the wheel and folded them into his lap, making sure the officer could see his hands trembling, "I'm just _so..tired_ , and _so worried_."

Kaiba kept his gaze fixed firmly on the bottom edge of his steering wheel, listening to the sounds of the officer's pen scratching across paper, undoubtedly writing out his ticket.

 _Fuck, well, it was worth a shot._ Kaiba thought viciously, briefly wondering if he should try crying.

Suddenly, a hand passed across his face and small piece of yellow paper was shoved under his nose. Kaiba raised his head and accepted the slip politely. The officer stuck his other hand into the window and handed Kaiba the pen.

"Write your phone number here, kid. And here's mine." The officer flipped the paper over and a white business card peeked out from beneath the yellow slip.

Kaiba sat up straight, startled. "Oh..I-okay." He quickly grabbed the pen from the officer and wrote his personal number down onto the yellow slip, realizing it _was_ a ticket sheet, but it was completely blank.

The officer withdrew his arms out from the window and Kaiba nodded thankfully at him, looking down at the business card in his hand, committing the officer's name and number into memory.

"Okay, no more driving around crazy at 5 AM, got it?" The officer said sternly, clearing his throat slightly.

"Yes. Yes sir, thank you." Kaiba expressed genuinely, giving the officer a dazzling smile.

"I'll watch you drive off. Go ahead." The officer stepped back and folded his arms, nodding stiffly.

Kaiba didn't waste a moment. He rolled up his window and pulled away from the side of the road, immensely grateful that the light at the intersection was green. He didn't want to sit awkwardly at the red light with the officer staring at his license plate, knowing that he could easily look it up in a flash and find out who the car was registered to.

He glanced in his rear-view mirror again, watching as the flashing red and blue lights disappeared as he rounded the corner.

* * *

Mokuba cracked his eyelids open slightly. He had a strange dream and thought he'd heard the sound of water running across the hall.

Mokuba sat up and rubbed his eyes lightly, glancing around his dark room, the glowing numbers on his alarm clock shone back at him softly. It was 5 AM...Did Seto already leave for work?

Deciding to find out, he slid off the bed and tiptoed across the carpet, quickly peeking out of his bedroom door into the dark hallway. All was quiet, and Seto's room was dark, but the door was unlocked.

 _Weird,_ Mokuba thought as he inched towards the door. He knocked twice, "Seto?" he called softly, waiting for a response. There was a long silence. Mokuba yawned and pushed the door open softly, "Seto..?"

Mokuba stepped into the dark room and glancing around sleepily, his gaze landing on a rolled-up mound of covers on the bed. Wow, Seto was actually asleep for once!

Smiling to himself, Mokuba closed the door behind him softly, throwing the room into complete darkness. He tiptoed across the room and felt his palms bump against the edge of the mattress. Mokuba heaved himself up onto the king-sized bed and felt around in front of him. His hands found Seto's shoulders and he inched himself closer, peeling the covers back, sliding in next to Seto.

The light scent from Seto's cologne drifted up and Mokuba blinked, surprised.

 _Seto must really like this scent!_ Mokuba thought blearily, yawning widely as he fluffed the pillow underneath his head, _I guess it smells good_... _I can't wait till he wakes up and sees me here next to him. Just like old times._

The sheets were warm and Seto's breathing was deep and even. Mokuba pressed his forehead into his older brother's back, feeling the silk from his pajamas caress him gently as he dozed off again.

* * *

Kaiba parked his car haphazardly in the employee spot behind the bakery and rushed out, slamming the door behind him.

He hurried into the alleyway and pulled the back entrance open hastily, stepping into the empty kitchen. The door swung shut heavily behind him with a loud slam, and the silence rang in Kaiba's ears.

"Jason?" Kaiba called, quickly striding through the kitchen and out into the front.

The manager was bent over the register, counting a stack of cash. "Hiro! Heard you come in. Maybe close the door a little lighter next time, okay bud?"

"Yes." Kaiba said gruffly, glancing around the empty store, marveling at how nicely the white tables complemented the minty green stripes on the wall. He hadn't had a chance to look around, but now that he had a moment to pause and observe his surroundings, Kaiba realized he was quite fond of the decor.

"It looks nice in here." he said, giving Jason an apologetic look.

Jason straightened up and shut the register with a click, "Yeah kid, it's been this way for a while. You're just never out here long enough to see it all filled with the crowds people."

Kaiba swallowed and nodded, turning to walk back into the kitchen. Suddenly, he heard the back door slam again and June appeared before him. "Hiro!" She cried happily, rushing forward and pulling him into a casual hug. Kaiba stiffened as he felt her tiny arms wrap around his waist.

"My friends all love the way you decorate cakes. I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?" She looked up at him hopefully.

"June..." Jason said sternly. "What is it?"

"It's just for a friend's birthday!"June replied defensively, looking slightly stricken. "I'm in charge of bringing the cake. Don't worry, she'll pay for it."

Jason sighed and shook his head, "Maybe. If Hiro can find the time to squeeze that extra cake in before he leaves, we'll have to see."

Kaiba nodded stiffly, and turned to head back into the kitchen, "Anything else?" he asked tiredly.

Jason gave him a strange look, "Lighten up buddy, we've got a long day ahead of us! Go on back inside, I've left the stack of recipes on the counter. You know where to find it."

"It's about the other Yugi, isn't it?" June said, nodding knowingly.

Kaiba clenched his fists and swept past her coldly, ignoring her remark. He forcefully pushed the kitchen doors open and spotted the book of laminated recipes Jason had mentioned.

He had barely flipped past the first page when June came bursting in the kitchen behind him. "Hiro, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!" she cried, hovering by the edge of the counter.

Kaiba grit his teeth slightly, carefully extracting several pages from the recipe book and placing them aside. He said nothing as he walked over to the refrigerator and ducked his head inside, searching for the eggs.

"Hiro..?" June said shrilly, "A-Are you angry with me?"

"No." Kaiba replied shortly, setting several stacks of eggs onto the counter. He leaned back down to grab butter and milk. "Change of topic. Have you reported Mei's disappearance to the authorities?"

"Wh-What?" June stammered, "Well, I don't think telling the police would help me find Mei any sooner."

Kaiba sighed as he closed the refrigerator door, "Maybe you should consider reporting it to campus authorities. If Mei is as rare of a breed as you say she is, it would help to have friendly eyes looking out for her."

June nodded, apparently at a loss for words. She threw him a grateful smile before turning to walk back into the front.

Kaiba shook his head, exasperated, and he reached up into the cabinets to grab three large mixing bowls.

"Hiro?" Jason's voice coming from behind almost made him drop the bowls onto the floor.

Kaiba whirled around, gripping the bowls tightly, his heart racing, "What?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you kid." Jason said gruffly, eyeing Hiro's white fingertips encircling the glass bowl, "June and I are going across the street to give a description of Mei to campus security. Hold the fort down while we're gone, alright?"

Kaiba nodded stiffly, not expecting anyone to come in at this hour anyway. Weren't they supposed to be closed?

"I'll do that." Kaiba responded shortly, setting the bowls down with a heavy clink onto the counter.

"I'm expecting a phone call from another business manager. If we're not back in time to answer the call, just pick it up and take their message." Jason said quickly, winking at him and ducking out of the kitchen.

Kaiba opened his mouth to protest but Jason had already disappeared out through the kitchen flaps.

 _Fuck. Fine,_ Kaiba thought viciously as he began sifting flour into the bowl with an air of annoyance.

* * *

Yami felt himself waking up gradually. The scent from Hiro's cologne and the comforting weight from the down sheets was a heavenly combination. Everything was soft and warm; Yami felt like he was wrapped in silk. It was growing steadily lighter outside the window and Yami cracked an eyelid open cautiously, wondering why the ceiling was so high.

Suddenly, Yami felt a light pressure between his shoulder blades and a pair of knees hit the back of his thighs.

Yami's eyes shot open immediately and he froze, terror coursing through his veins. He was staring at a very unfamiliar closet door, with a tall mirror standing in the corner. His heart began thudding loudly in his chest and his eyes began to water slightly. Where was he? Who was behind him?

Yami's mind began to race frantically as he recalled the events from last night. It couldn't be...Kaiba..?!

Mokuba felt Seto shift beside him and he snuggled into his back even deeper, cuddling up firmly into him. He felt Seto tense and he nuzzled his nose gently against the silk of his pajamas, dimly aware that his older brother was awake. He felt so warm and happy, secretly glad that Seto was sleeping in with him a little bit longer.

Mokuba slipped his arms around Seto's waist, thinking Seto felt strangely thin, which was worrying.

Yami felt a pair of tiny arms snaking around his hips and his breath caught in his chest. This was definitely not Kaiba..!

Mokuba cracked an eye open and stared at the folds of the white silk bathrobe underneath his nose. Seto's back seemed to be much smaller too!

Mokuba leaned his head back into the pillow and his eyes slowly traveled upwards, his sleepy gaze landing on a crop of spiky red and black hair sticking out from beneath the edge of the covers.

 _Y-YUGI?!_ Mokuba's eyes sprung open as he stifled a slight squeak, squirming away, untangling himself from Yugi.

Yami felt the weight shift on the bed and he sat up slowly, strangely lightheaded.

Mokuba watched as Yugi slowly pushed the covers away and turned around to face him. It was Yami. He gripped the sheets tightly, staring, unable to believe his eyes.

"Mokuba...?" Yami said slowly, attempting a small smile.

"Y-Yami...!" Mokuba choked, drawing his knees up to his chest, his heart thudding loudly. What the heck was Yami doing in Seto's bed?!

"S-Sorry...I thought you were Seto!" Mokuba cried, slowly backing away on all fours.

Yami shook his head, feeling the light silk from the robe gently slip down on his shoulders. "That's alright. I'll be leaving now."

Mokuba swallowed nervously, his head spinning, catching a glimpse of Yami's tanned shoulder briefly before Yami re-adjusted the robe around himself.

"O-okay." Mokuba stammered, feeling himself shake all over. "I'll call Isono for you." He bounded off the bed and ran out of the room, almost tripping on his feet as he threw himself back into his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

He stumbled over to his bed and dug his phone out from beneath his pillow, frantically hitting the call button beneath Seto's name.

Kaiba had just slid a few pans of cake batter into the oven before his phone started buzzing in his pocket. He glanced up at the clock, realizing time had passed rather quickly; his shift was almost over. Wiping his hands on a towel, Kaiba dug his phone out and glanced down at the screen. It was Mokuba.

"Mokuba?" Kaiba answered smoothly, setting the timer on the oven.

"SETO!" Mokuba shouted in his ear, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME..TH-THAT YAMI ..WAS..STAYING OVER?!"

Kaiba winced and pulled the phone away from his face slightly, annoyed, "You were asleep. Why, is everything okay?"

"Ye-..No." Mokuba said, his voice trembling, "I woke up next to him Seto!"

Kaiba felt his vision blur slightly. "What?" he snapped, his mind racing, wondering how that would even begin to happen.

"I..I snuck into your room cuz I wanted to s-sleep with you!" Mokuba blubbered, "But I didn't know it was Yami, and not you!"

"Did you even bother to check who it was before you climbed into the bed?" Kaiba growled, eyeing the door as he saw the shadow of Jason passing by briefly.

"IT WAS DARK!" Mokuba yelled, sounding like he was on the verge of tears.

"Okay, okay." Kaiba said hastily, trying to appease Mokuba. "I'll make it up to you. What would you like?"

"I don't want anything!" Mokuba whined, "Can you just tell me next time?!"

"Yes." Kaiba said slowly, straightening up as Jason walked into the kitchen. "I need to go. I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Kay." Mokuba replied glumly, and Kaiba hung up the phone just as Jason gave him a stern look.

"Who was that?" Jason asked pointedly, his eyes sweeping over several large cakes sitting on the cooling racks.

"No one." Kaiba replied gruffly, picking up a spatula and methodically scraping icing off the side of the bowl.

"Well, good work." Jason said lightly, watching as Kaiba scooped icing into a piping bag, "You've been skipping your breaks lately. That's not good, Hiro. I need you to take your breaks."

"I don't need them." Kaiba responded roughly, slowly running the icing knife along the top of the cake, smoothing the cream across the edges expertly.

"Well you've got to take your breaks..! It's against worker regulations..." Jason said, frowning worriedly, "That, or ...I guess you could leave early. I can't have you working so many hours without rest."

Kaiba finished smoothing the cream over the cake and stepped back to check it for flaws, nodding slightly, not listening to a word Jason said.

"I'll leave early then." Kaiba echoed hollowly, picking up the piping bag without looking up.

Jason nodded, "You're off in 10 minutes then. I'll see you tomorrow." And he ducked out of the kitchen.

Kaiba heard him leave and the timer beeped loudly at him from across the room. He set the piping bag down and quickly pulled the oven door open, silencing the timer.

His phone buzzed in his pocket again.

Kaiba cursed, hastily slipping on a pair of thick oven mitts and sliding the cakes out, setting them onto the cooling rack with a clatter.

He peeled the oven mitts off and fumbled for his phone. It was Isono.

"Yes?" Kaiba said tensely, eyeing the clock, feeling exhaustion fall heavily on his shoulders.

"Mr. Kaiba." Isono said shortly, "You asked for an update on Mr. Yugi's location. I've dropped him off at the entrance of the university."

"Oh." Kaiba responded, feeling his throat closing up. "Anything else?"

"No sir." Isono replied and he hung up with a gentle click.

Kaiba swallowed nervously, feeling his anxiety rise as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. He needed to leave, now.

He quickly arranged the piping bag neatly beside the half-finished cake and headed to the front to bid Jason goodbye. Kaiba caught a glimpse of spiky hair through the tiny kitchen door window and he ducked down frantically, leaning back against the wall, his heart pounding.

 _Shit!_ Kaiba felt his palms sweat as he heard the clacking of keys against glass as Jason unlocked the front doors to speak with Yami. Kaiba leaned his head down against the kitchen flaps, straining to hear parts of their conversation.

"He's not here today." Jason said firmly, and Kaiba could practically see him folding his arms in his mind. Kaiba heard Yami pause slightly and respond with his usual, "I see. Thank you."

Kaiba heard a faint click as Jason locked the doors again and his footsteps were quickly approaching the kitchen doors. Kaiba dashed over to the cake and untied his apron, trying to maintain his composure.

Jason strode into the kitchen wearing a frown, "Your boyfriend was here looking for you. I told him you weren't here. That be good enough?"

Kaiba felt himself heat up with embarrassment as he nodded his head politely, "Thank you."

"Okay bud, I'll see you tomorrow." Jason said gruffly, giving him a pitiful look.

Kaiba nodded again and turned to exit through the back door. His hand wrapped carefully around the handle before a thought struck him.

Yami could easily just walk around the building and recognize his car, parked behind the building. Kaiba released the door handle, a dark feeling curling in his chest. Yami was known to be thorough, and that detail would not be missed.

"Whassamatter kid?" Jason asked, watching Hiro behave strangely, grabbing then releasing the door handle.

"He might..." Kaiba found his voice catching in his throat as he struggled to keep his emotions at bay, "He might be waiting by my car."

"Oh." Jason said, frowning, just as a soft knock sounded lightly across the door. Kaiba backed away from it slowly, leaning back behind the door, keeping out of sight, gesturing for Jason to answer it.

Jason sighed and rolled his eyes, "It's probably June. Although... I don't think this door is locked..." He strode over to pull the door open and Kaiba's arms tingled with horror as he caught the studs of Yami's boots right up against the lower bevel of the door.

 _Damn, he was fucking persistent!_ Kaiba said a silent prayer, thankful that the door was solid with no windows.

"Oh! Yu..gi." Jason said, failing to hide his surprise. "Kid, this door is for employees only. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but it isn't funny."

Yami craned his neck, trying to look past Jason's shoulder. He caught a glimpse of a few cakes sitting finished and beautifully decorated on the counter behind Jason's elbow.  
No Hiro in sight.

"I just thought-" Yami began, but Jason cut him off firmly. "That your boyfriend would open the door? I thought I told you, he isn't here today."

Yami ducked his head down and Kaiba could feel the tension from behind the door. His ears began ringing slightly as guilt swirled mightily around in his stomach.

"When will he be coming in?" Yami asked, his voice heavy with disappointment. "I'll come back then."

Jason crossed his arms firmly and set his jaw, "I don't know kid. Wish I could tell you."

Yami looked up at him incredulously, "You are the owner..."

"And I ain't a human computer." Jason growled coldly, "I can't say if he's coming in tomorrow, or the day after. Too many things going on in this place for me to remember little things like that."

"Right." Yami said emptily, feeling stricken. He knew the owner was withholding information on purpose, but he couldn't figure out why.

"Yeah? Now scoot. And kid, you should stick to knocking on the front doors instead." Jason said stiffly, glancing over at Hiro, who shuffled uncomfortably beside him, hidden from view behind the door.

Yami caught the owner's glance sliding to the right and he stared at the door. He had a sneaking suspicion that Hiro was probably right on the other side of it.

"I see..." Yami said, his voice trailing off as he dragged his gaze up the alleyway, spotting a white sports car with black stripes.

 _Hiro's car! He is here!_ Yami thought excitedly, _The owner is definitely lying._

"Well...scoot." The owner said awkwardly, sounding very uncomfortable.

Yami nodded and smiled mischievously back at him, "Thank you. And I'm sorry for the trouble. I will use the front door from now on."

Kaiba recognized that tone immediately and he tensed, watching as Jason swung the door shut.

"Wow, your boyfriend, he is...something." Jason said, brushing a knuckle across his brow lightly. "Phew."

"Now, he's going to wait by my car..!" Kaiba hissed, lowering his voice to a hushed whisper, afraid that Yami could hear them through the door if he was still standing on the other side.

Jason sighed and rubbed his temples. "Our agreement only applies to this establishment. What happens in the parking lot is none of my business."

Kaiba set his teeth and nodded stiffly. "Thanks." _For nothing._ Kaiba thought savagely as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He knew Yami could clearly tell Jason was lying. Kaiba was sure Yami was a walking human lie-detector if he'd ever met one.

Jason was watching his every move carefully as Kaiba's slender fingers swiped across the screen, quickly searching up the number for campus security. He tapped it heavily and held the phone up to his ear, listening as the rings trilled in his ear.

A female operator answered his call smoothly, "This is campus security. May I ask if this is an emergency? If so, please hang up and dial 911."

"It is not an emergency." Kaiba growled, watching Jason blink at him, startled.

"Good. How may I help you?" she asked, and Kaiba could hear pen and pad rustling through the receiver.

"There is a student..." Kaiba paused, "Stalking and harassing me."

Jason's eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously, making a frantic X motion with his arms. Kaiba waved him away, glaring.

"May I have a description of this student?" The operator continued, sounding emotionless.

"No." Kaiba said firmly, "Just get him away from my car. I need to leave."

"Is he by your car often? What is this student's name?" The operator continued, and Kaiba heard more papers rustling.

"I don't know." Kaiba responded impatiently, "Could you send someone to escort him away from my vehicle?"

"Would you like to disclose any more information about this student, we will pull his file-"

"That won't be necessary." Kaiba said tensely, watching Jason frown at him, "My car is parked across the street from the main entrance, behind the new bakery that just opened."

"I see." The operator said softly, "And is this a good number to reach you at, should any other issues arise between you and the other student?"

"No." Kaiba replied viciously, resisting the urge to hang up. He needed to make sure he wasn't actually getting Yami into serious trouble. "There's no need to pull his file. We just had a disagreement, that's all."

"Okay, so you _do_ know this person," The operator said simply, "If you need a counselor to mediate-"

Kaiba hung up on her and felt his hand shake as he stuck his phone back into his pocket.

"Hiro...not wise." Jason said, shaking his head gravely. "Calling security on your boyfriend? You're gonna make him hate you."

"Yeah that's kind of the whole point." Kaiba responded roughly, feeling his head spin with anger and desperation.

"Did you guys...get in a fight?" Jason asked frowning deeply.

"No." Kaiba said shortly, "I thought I already told you, I can't see him anymore."

"Yeah, kid you weren't very clear about that." Jason said, leaning against the counter again, looking at him strangely.

Suddenly, June came bursting into the kitchen, slightly breathless. "Um..there are two security guards asking where our parking lot is?!" she cried shrilly. "Did we do something wrong?"

Jason gave Hiro a grave look and turned to face June, "No worries June-bug. Hiro just went hard-ass on his boyfriend. They're here to escort him away from Hiro's car. No need to worry, just show them the way and they'll be gone soon enough."

"You ...called.. _security_ on the other Yugi?!" June gasped, staring wide-eyed at Hiro. "What...why?! Did you really have to?! How about going out there and talking it out?! Like, I dunno, a normal couple?!"

"Junie." Jason said sternly, "Go. No more questions."

"We're not..a couple." Kaiba grumbled, but June didn't hear him. She had already ducked past the kitchen flaps.

"Sure you're not." Jason snorted. "And whatever is happening between you two...too dramatic. Leave me out of it. And B-T-W I'm already helping you out way more than I'm comfortable with."

"Do you even know what "BTW" stands for?" Kaiba growled, feeling a slight headache coming on.

"Gosh, kid I'm not that old!" Jason protested. "I listen when you kids speak. Now let's wait out front, I'll bet we can see security passing by with your boyfriend. That way we'll know the coast is clear for you to leave, okay?"

Kaiba nodded silently and followed Jason out into the front.

Meanwhile, outside, June had led the pair of security guards past the alleyway, and she spotted Yami leaning casually against the hood of a beautiful white sports car with elegant black stripes running parallel along it's body.

"This the kid?" One of the guards asked, squinting as the sun reflected harshly off the white pearlescent paint.

June struggled to speak but she was so nervous, all she could do was nod.

Yami looked up quickly as he heard several footsteps echoing up from the alleyway, and he froze when he saw June, flanked by two burly men in black uniforms. A wire trailed from each of their shoulders and they had matching batons hanging off their dark belts.

Was June in trouble...? Yami eased himself off the hood of the car and crossed his arms firmly, narrowing his eyes at the two men, who eyed him back beadily.

June hung back, watching as the men slowly advance steadily and both men taking a wide-legged stance on either side Yami, their elbows brushing dangerously close to the ends of his shoulders.

Yami felt his heart beginning to race frantically. He saw June lower her head apologetically, looking hurt and guilty as the men surrounded him tightly.

He was the one in trouble, not June.

"Come with us kid, we're here to escort you away from this vehicle." The man on his left said stiffly.

Yami felt a cold trickle of horror root him to the spot as he tried to process what was happening. "Why...?" he asked numbly, his vision shifting and blurring. June was biting her lip painfully, her eyes looked wet.

"We've been asked to escort you ...away from this vehicle." The man on his right responded, "Please come with us."

Yami blinked and nodded, stepping forwards and feeling the men follow behind him closely, their shadows towering over his slender frame as he brushed past June, who bowed apologetically at him once more.

Yami felt as though he was living in a bad dream. His feet grew heavier with every step and his stomach curled unpleasantly. The scraping sounds from their boots echoed up and down the alleyway, causing a cold shiver to run down Yami's spine. Did Hiro just call security on him? To get him away from his car?

They walked slowly past the glass doors of the bakery and Yami glanced into the shop anxiously. His heart stopped when he saw Hiro, standing beside the manager, their arms folded across their chests, unsmiling. Yami thought he caught Hiro's eye, and he threw Hiro the most hurtful look he could muster. Yami saw Hiro lower his head, seemingly ashamed.

Jason turned to Hiro and shook his head sadly, "Boy, he does not look happy."

Kaiba lowered his arms down to his sides and gripped the counter tightly, "He'll be fine. I will step in if he gets into real trouble."

Jason sighed and shook his head again, "Well keep your eyes peeled. We can keep them in sight..."

Yami turned away from the bakery, feeling anger curl in his chest as he stopped at the crosswalk. He addressed the two men flanking him without making eye contact, "I know the way from here. Thank you."

There was a long pause before one of the men spoke up, "We'd like to escort you to the main office. A mediation counselor has a few questions for you."

"A what?" Yami snapped, glaring at the guard, "There was no conflict."

Kaiba watched as Yami spoke with the guard with his fists curled at his sides, and he felt immensely guilty.

The light turned green and Yami crossed the street briskly, his terror rising as the men continued to follow him closely.

 _Hiro..!_ Yami growled to himself, clenching his fists at his sides. Did something terrible happen? So terrible, that Hiro couldn't face him directly?! He would have expected this cowardly behavior from Kaiba...! Kaiba, who was nowhere to be seen this morning when he woke up, probably working himself half-to-death in his office...

"Yami!" A familiar voice rang out behind them and Yami stopped in mid-step. It was Joey!

"Please keep walking." The man on his left said, stepping up extremely close behind him. Yami felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

"Hey, back off!" Joey yelled, rushing into his view, with Anzu and Yugi following closely beside him.

Yami's chest swelled with emotion as Yugi reached forward and grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the two guards.

"Hey..!" The guard on his left began to move but Yami felt Joey step behind him, staring menacingly at the guard.

"He didn't do nothing wrong." Joey growled, cracking his knuckles.

Kaiba watched with bated breath as Joey stood resolutely between Yami and the guards, secretly thankful that Joey was being aggressive as usual. He could also catch a glimpse of Yugi and Anzu from behind the burly men. Kaiba heard Jason gasp beside him, "Whoa, he's got some feisty friends."

 _Yeah, delinquents_. Kaiba growled privately, wondering where Tristan was.

"Wow it's like I'm watching a movie." Jason commented with an air of amusement.

"I'm leaving." Kaiba said aggressively. If Joey, Yugi and the friendship girl was there, Yami was going to be okay.

"Wait, really?" Jason asked, surprised, "You don't wanna stick around to watch the ending?"

"See you tomorrow." Kaiba responded brusquely as he turned to head through kitchen doors.

The guards loomed threateningly over Joey, "This student was reported for harassing and stalking. Please step aside."

"Harassing and...stalking?" Anzu gasped. Yugi made similar noises of shock as he gripped Yami's hand tightly, pulling him back farther away.

"Harassing and stalking who?!" Joey said, grinding his teeth, jutting up on his toes to meet the guard's cold gaze.

"The student who called it in was anonymous." The guard on the left shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah?! Well then that could be false, now can't it?" Yugi said angrily, "If you don't have proof, we're leaving."

"Yep." Joey said, his fists raised threateningly. "Go ahead Yugi, Anzu. I'm going to stand here."

"Let's go..!" Anzu whispered, grabbing Yami by the arm and leading him away quickly. Yugi also didn't let go of his hand, and pulled him forwards insistently. Yami stumbled into step with Yugi and Anzu, blinking astutely, feeling numb as his mind began spinning violently.

 _Harassing and stalking?!_ Yami could barely wrap his head around the thought as they passed by several buildings before stopping at a bench on the other end of campus. Students were filing in and out of the building beside them and Yugi finally let go of his hand, his wrist was slightly sweaty from Yugi's anxiety.

"What was that?!" Anzu cried, letting go of his arm and settling down onto the bench looking stressed, "Oh my god those guys looked scary!"

Yugi also looked stricken as he stood in front of Yami, looking into his face carefully, "Harassing and stalking?"

"I..don't know." Yami said, his voice breaking, lowering his head carefully. He knew full well. It was Hiro who had reported him.

"Weird!" Anzu exclaimed, "Then they must've gotten the wrong student! I hope Joey is okay..."

As if on cue, Joey came running up behind Yugi, panting and flustered, "Kay, I think ...I lost..them."

Joey bent over, trying to catch his breath as he squinted up at Yami, "You okay?"

Yami nodded silently, his throat closing up with emotion, "Thank you, Joey."

Yugi walked forwards and pulled him into a tight hug, "Let's lay low for a few days, okay? Maybe, just stay home until next week. I'll go talk to the campus security. I look like you, after all. Maybe we can figure something out."

Yami said nothing and nodded, still feeling numb. He knew Yugi wouldn't get anywhere or find any new information. If Hiro was smart, he wouldn't have left any names or descriptions, hence the uncertainty from the guards when Yugi was yelling at them for proof.

"Thank you..everyone." Yami managed, his eyes beginning to blur dangerously at the corners.

Yugi pulled him into another reassuring hug. "It's okay. We know."

"I'll drop you off at home now?" Anzu offered, "I have a while before class. I came here early with Yugi..."

"Thank you." Yami nodded at her gratefully. He knew he had just arrived on campus less than an hour ago but he didn't care about finishing the rest of the day. He felt terrible and wanted the day to be over.

"Okay!" Anzu said brightly, standing up and fishing her keys out from her purse, "Who's coming along?"

Yugi turned his large eyes towards Yami, "You gonna be okay? I actually need to go.."

"I'll be fine Aibou." Yami said quickly, giving Yugi's hands a tight squeeze before turning to stand beside Anzu, who waved at Joey and then turned to leave.

"Okay." Yugi said, frowning worriedly. Joey waved back lightly, "See ya! Maybe we'll stop by later!"

Yami nodded and turned to quickly follow Anzu towards the parking lot.

* * *

Kaiba stormed up the stairs and strode quickly into his room, closing the door carefully behind him. He glanced over at his bed, which was messy and unmade, and he felt his headache grow stronger.

He pinched his temples painfully and gripped the edge of his desk, steadying himself, wishing there was somehow an easier solution to stopping Yami from visiting Hiro at the bakery.

He glared at the laptop on his desk, his eyes burning with frustration. The goal hadn't changed. The goal was still for him to replace Hiro. Kaiba slid his phone out of his pocket and tapped Yami's name, typing out a short text, "How are you doing?"

Kaiba glared at the screen, reading his words over and over. He genuinely meant it, but it sounded so impersonal. He almost knew Yami would probably answer with one word, but he sent it anyway and threw his phone down on his desk, hurrying into the bathroom to take a shower.

* * *

Yami was sitting moodily at the counter of the game shop, tapping a pen absentmindedly against the glass, staring blankly out the window.

He glanced at the clock, wishing time would pass by faster. It felt like it'd been ages ago since Amzu had waved goodbye and drove off, when in reality, it had only been about an hour.

Yami stared at his phone which was sitting silently in front of him on the counter and he tapped it angrily. Was there a misunderstanding? Did he do something to offend Hiro? Was it...Yami's chest tightened as he recalled his casual tone while he pulled Hiro onto the bed with him, asking if they could "sleep together". Was it that?!

Yami racked his brain, unable to recall any other moment where he could have unintentionally done something wrong. He pulled his phone closer and clicked it on, tapping on Hiro's name, he realized he hadn't messaged Hiro since yesterday.

Being with Kaiba had made him completely forget to send a daily message to Hiro.

Swallowing his frustration, Yami carefully typed out a message, spacing his characters out formally as he would in a traditional letter.

"Hiro,

If I have done something to upset you, please tell me. I would like to discuss the matter with you and apologize in person. Please let know..."

Yami paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully as an angry tirade of sentences flooded his mind. Please let me know why you're being so immature. Please let me know why you called security, just to get me away from your car. Please let me know...Yami shook his head and deleted the last part of the message, deciding to leave it out.

He was just about to hit send when suddenly, his phone buzzed as an unknown number slid across his screen with the message, "How are you doing?"

Yami's heart leapt up into his throat. Who was this?! Yami quickly tapped the message and carefully typed out a reply.

"I'm doing well, how are you?" and he sent it. He stared at the screen for several moments before going back to composing his message to Hiro.

Yami decided to be more truthful and added another sentence, "I think about you, often. I hope to see you ...soon!" and he sent the message, watching the large block of text bubble up on the screen. He scrolled up through their messages absently, realizing they didn't really say much, other than "see you there." and "I'll be there soon."

Yami slapped his phone down onto the counter with a disappointed growl and stared at the clock again. The minutes were ticking by _so slowly_!

Kaiba had just stepped out of the shower when he heard his phone buzz noisily against his steel desk and his pulse raced. He rushed out of the bathroom without bothering to dry himself off and he stood beside his desk, sopping wet, staring at the message from Yami which read, "I'm doing well, how are you?"

Kaiba's heart thudded painfully in his chest. Not a one word answer, so, perhaps this was good start. How was he doing? Tired...and hungry. Kaiba decided to go with the truth.

"Tired and hungry." He responded, typing quickly and sending it.

Yami glanced down at his phone when it buzzed and he read the message curiously. _Hm,_ Yami frowned, _tired and hungry doesn't really tell me much about who this is._ _Am I friends with this unknown number?_

"Are we friends?" Yami responded, and he sent it, feeling his uneasiness rise. He was aware that spam numbers were a thing, Anzu had warned everyone plenty of times, but he was bored and wanted to see where this would go. _  
_

_Talking to a stranger wouldn't be half bad_ , Yami mused privately, drumming his fingers on the counter, waiting for the number to respond.

Kaiba felt himself shake as he read Yami's text. Were they friends?! What the hell was this?! He didn't want to be friends...! How about, 'romantic partner', or hell, Kaiba reeled, 'boyfriend'?!

"No, I don't think I'd call us friends." Kaiba responded viciously, tapping his screen so ferociously, several drops of water landed on the phone. He sent it and whipped the towel off from around his waist and quickly toweled his hair dry.

Yami stared at the phone as a the message bubbled up on the screen and he stared at it, his curiosity rising. So he didn't know this person.

 _Stranger: confirmed._ Yami thought, satisfied, as he quickly composed his next message, "Please send a photo of yourself!"

Kaiba let out a yell of mirthless laughter when he read Yami's text after it floated up on the screen. A photo. This bastard wants a fucking photo, I'll give him a photo, Kaiba thought shrewdly. He tapped the camera icon angrily and his own face stared back at him, cheekbones hollow, light brown hair still dripping with water.

 _Actually,_ Kaiba thought gleefully as he angled the camera lower, sweeping the viewfinder down past his sculpted chest and stopping at his abdomen, _this might be better._

He deftly tightened the towel around his waist and inched it lower on his hips, carefully stepping back, making sure to snap a photo of only his abs. Kaiba smiled evilly and sent it.

He dried himself off completely and headed towards the closet once more.

Yami's phone had gone silent, the screen was dark, and he tapped the counter impatiently. The sender was taking an unusually long time to respond. Suddenly, the phone buzzed as if on cue. Yami grabbed it and slid his thumb across the screen. He almost dropped his phone in shock as he stared at the image he'd received, his chest fluttering nervously.

It was a photo of nothing but a set of sculpted abs; tiny drops of water were sparkling across every curve, every muscle, and Yami swallowed thickly, feeling himself sweat. Was this photo real?! It looked like a something taken from a magazine! The lighting was too well done...!

He stared and stared at the white fluffy towel which hung enticingly off of the unknown sender's hips...which, if they were just inched down a little lower...then, Yami suddenly recognized the towel. He had used one very similar to it last night! And...Yami faintly recalled putting his number into Kaiba's phone.

Yami trembled as he glanced at the photo again and blushed furiously.  
This was...Kaiba! It had to be! Does... Kaiba's body...really look like this?

With shaking fingers, Yami typed his response, "Kaiba, you think you're so funny." and he sent it, his blood rushing loudly in his ears.

Kaiba had just finished buckling his belt over his waist when his phone buzzed, and he smirked, checking the message.

Hell yeah, I'm fucking hilarious, Kaiba thought darkly as he responded with, "You asked for a photo, you got a photo." He strode over to his desk and sat down, feeling slightly better.

Yami watched as the reply bubbled up on the screen. It was Kaiba! Yami quickly saved the number, feeling a slight laugh threatening to escape his chest as he slowly typed out Kaiba's name in his contacts. He felt like such an idiot for forgetting he had given his number to Kaiba in the first place.

Suddenly another text from Kaiba caused his phone to buzz, and Yami tapped on it quickly.

"Your turn."

Yami blinked at his phone screen, the words burning into his eyes. Was Kaiba asking for a shirtless photo in return..?! No! He wasn't going to participate.

Yami quickly glanced around the shop and rushed over to the chess boards, grabbing one hastily, he brought it back over to the counter. He arranged the white chess pieces with two pawns in an opening move and he snapped a photo of it.

Kaiba, I'll let you go with this, Yami thought playfully and he sent it without hesitation, sitting back down behind the counter, waiting for Kaiba's response.

A maid had come into the room to change the sheets and Kaiba watched her thoughtfully as his phone buzzed against his desk. He grabbed it and glanced at the screen eagerly, expecting a sexy photo from Yami, but to his great disappointment, it was of a chessboard with white, two moves ahead.

Is he letting me have this one? Kaiba wondered faintly and he stood up to head over to the game room to grab a chessboard. He stepped into the hallway and hurried into an adjacent room. Kaiba rummaged around the bookshelves, finding a small wooden chessboard, he carried it back lightly to his desk. He felt the maid giving him a weird look but he ignored it; he was too excited.

He set it down gently and mimicked the moves in the photo. If he was white, he was two moves ahead, leaving Yami at an extreme handicap. Kaiba moved a black pawn on Yami's side and snapped a photo, sending it immediately, accepting the challenge.

Yami glanced down, delighted, as his phone buzzed enthusiastically back at him. It was a photo of a wooden chess set sitting on Kaiba's desk, with a black pawn in an opening move. Yami could see the corner of Kaiba's silver laptop peeking out in the corner of the photo and he suddenly felt extremely happy.

He accepts, Yami nodded, moving the black pawn on his own chess board, and snapped a photo back to Kaiba.

Kaiba watched as Yami sent him a photo of his chessboard, all the pieces in place, mimicking his own board, and he felt the blood rush to his head. He moved his white knight and snapped a photo, typing out a taunting message, "You're two moves behind, you'd better be careful." And he sent it with a rush of elation.

The maid had finished fixing the corners of his bed and Kaiba nodded at her. She bobbed her head and exited the room quietly, shutting the door behind her. Kaiba stood up and walked over to his freshly made bed, laying down on top of the comforter, the image of Yami sleeping on his sheets flickered through his mind and he gripped his phone tightly, waiting for a response.

Yami glanced at the photo and copied the image, moving Kaiba's knight into position on his own board. Tricky, Yami hummed. He was going to lose a bishop. Yami moved a black rook out along the side of the board and snapped a photo, sending it quickly, typing out a reply, "I am always careful. Don't get cocky because you're two moves ahead, Kaiba."

Kaiba felt the phone buzz in his hand and he read the message, amused. He sat up and walked back over to his desk, moving Yami's rook into place, staring resolutely at the board. Too easy, Kaiba smirked and slid his queen threateningly out into the center as a power move. He took a photo and sent it hastily. He glanced over at his bed again, wondering if it was possible for him to get some sleep. He was too excited...

The phone buzzed and Kaiba checked it, thinking Yami's reply impossibly quick. It wasn't a photo, it was a line of text.

"I need to go. Yugi is back." was all Yami wrote.

Kaiba's spirits fell slightly and he nodded to no one in particular, "We'll finish this later." he typed quickly and sent it, clicking his phone off heavily. He threw himself down onto his bed and shut his eyes tiredly, drifting off immediately.

Yami shoved his phone hastily back into his pocket as he saw the shadow of Yugi and Joey step across the doorway.

"Yami!" Yugi cried, rushing forwards into the shop, his eyes landing on the chess board sitting on the counter. "Playing..chess? By yourself..."

"Never mind me, Aibou," Yami said, shaking his head, "I didn't expect you back this early."

"Well, I figured I'd take the rest of the day off too. We don't know who reported you, so it might be dangerous to show your face around campus for a bit..." Yugi said, frowning. "Considering how we're kind of...recognizable."

"I see." Yami said quickly, suddenly remembering Hiro hadn't messaged him back at all, yesterday, or the day before. "Did you speak with campus security?"

"We did." Joey interjected loudly, "All they keep saying is that it's all confidential."

"Right." Yugi nodded, just as Anzu stepped into the shop quietly.

"Anzu!" Yami called, stepping out from behind the counter. "May I speak with you?"

Everyone gave him a strange look. "Yeah, of course," Anzu said, smiling slightly, "Now.. or?"

"Outside, please." Yami said seriously, giving Yugi and apologetic look. "It's about..Hiro."

"That guy?" Joey asked, looking slightly confused, "Hey he said he was gonna buy Tristan a pair of shoes. Where's he at?"

"Still at the bakery," Yami answered vaguely, suddenly envisioning the unpleasant image of Hiro standing behind the glass doors at a distance, with his arms folded across his chest, "Anzu?"

"Yep, outside." Anzu nodded and pushed the door open behind her. Yami nodded at her appreciatively and stepped past her, feeling the afternoon sun beat down on him, making him uncomfortably hot.

Anzu hugged the building and stood beneath the awning of the game shop, shielding her eyes from the harsh sunlight, "What did he do this time?" she said darkly.

Yami blinked at her, surprised at how intuitive her statement was, "Well, I think, we had a misunderstanding." And when Anzu said nothing, Yami continued, "I could be imagining things, but, I think he's ignoring my messages and...avoiding me."

"Avoiding you?" Anzu narrowed her eyes, "And he's not responding to your messages."

"Yes," Yami said, nodding stiffly, feeling the familiar pit of dread curl in his stomach whenever he discussed Hiro's antics with Anzu, "The messages are never 'read', and, he refused to come out to see me, today."

"Okay." Anzu sighed heavily and lowered her hand away from her brow, folding her arms across her chest, "So he's basically acting like the way I described. Hate to say I told you so, but..." Anzu looked over at Yami sadly, "What do you want to do about it?"

"I was hoping, I could see him in person, to clear the misunderstanding, if there was one." Yami said uncertainly, looking down at the tips of his shoes.

"Then let's go now." Anzu said, nodding. "He was home around this time, two days ago, wasn't he?

Yami swallowed nervously, and he slipped his phone out from his pocket, absently turning it in his palms, "Yes...are you sure we should do that?"

"The sooner the better." Anzu said, sounding almost angry. "If you can end the friendship amicably, I suggest you do so."

Yami felt a pang disappointment shoot through his chest as Anzu suggested ending his friendship with Hiro. He nodded and Anuz grabbed her keys out from her purse, "I'm going to run inside real quick to tell Yugi where we're going. Wait for me by the car." She turned to leave and Yami stood by silently, watching her walk into the shop.

He looked down at his phone and clicked it on, texting Hiro quickly, "Hiro, I swear this won't become a habit, but I'm stopping by your apartment. I would like to speak with you face-to-face." Yami sent it, and stared at the phone, waiting for the messages to be read. He glanced up and walked quickly towards Anzu's car, typing out another message as he went, "I missed you today. And I want to let you know I'm not angry about the incident with security. If there is something you need to tell me, I will listen, and I will try my best to understand!"

Yami leaned his back against the hot car door as he sent the text, watching Anzu wave at him and rush towards the car. He felt the locks click against the small of his back and he nodded at Anzu, pulling the door open and stepping into the passenger seat.

Anzu ducked into the car and blasted the air conditioning, "Okay, let's do this."

Yami smiled at her, feeling extremely grateful, "Thank you so much Anzu..."

Anzu started the engine smoothly and pulled out onto the road, "Whatever you need to do to figure this out, like I said, I'm here for you. Honestly, Hiro's behavior is really starting to put me off."

Yami tucked his hands under his thighs and stared down at his knees, his face heating up with embarrassment, "I'm sorry..."

"Not your fault." Anzu replied blithely, "Tons of guys like Hiro out there. By the way..." She threw him a mischievous look as they sped down the freeway, "I heard you spent the night at Kaiba's yesterday! Did you have...a good time?"

"Actually, yes." Yami brightened up, "We exchanged phone numbers and..." he felt his ears redden as he recalled the shirtless photo Kaiba had send him.

"Hmm?" Anzu asked, smiling coyly, clicking her signal on and switching lanes easily.

"And we had dinner." Yami said quickly, turning his gaze out the window, seeing his own reflection blush back at him when he remembered Kaiba feeding him tufts of cotton candy on the bench by the fountain.

"Uh huh..." Anzu said pleasantly, smiling brightly, "See? You guys _are_ friends!"

Yami blinked and paused, watching as Anzu began to exit the freeway. "I actually asked him if we were friends..." Yami said slowly, watching as Anzu slowed at a red light. They were getting close to the university, closer to Hiro's apartment.

"What'd he say?" Anzu asked, interested, glancing carelessly in her rear-view mirror when a horn sounded in the distance.

"Let's see..." Yami struggled to remember and he pulled his phone out of his pocket to read the text verbatim, "He said: No, I don't think I'd call us friends."

Yami looked over at Anzu worriedly, "But I feel like, we act like friends.." Yami's voice trailed off as he tried not to think about what Kaiba's lips would feel like on his. It was becoming difficult to breathe. Friends...don't kiss other friends.

Anzu pulled down a familiar street and parked along the curbside, leaving her engine idling, "Let me see." She said, reaching for the phone. Yami handed it to her and leaned back in his seat, enjoying the air from the vents blowing across his blonde bangs.

Suddenly, Anzu let out a high pitched shriek beside him, causing him to jump.

"A-Anzu!" Yami exclaimed, gripping his chest. He felt like his heart had almost been ripped out of his chest from pure fright.

"Wh-what is this?!" Anzu cried, blushing furiously and holding up the photo of Kaiba's glistening abs.

Yami flushed deeply and grabbed the phone back from her, "Nothing. He sent it as a joke."

"You asked for it! Yami!" She said, laughing, "You said, and I quote, "Send me a-"

"Yeah alright I did ask for it!" Yami growled, flushing even deeper, "I didn't know who it was at the time. I forgot to save the number in my phone."

Anzu threw her head back and laughed and laughed, "Okay Yami, okay. Good one."

"It's true!" Yami insisted, gripping his phone even tighter, trying really hard not to look at the screen.

Anzu giggled as she shut the engine off, throwing him an adoring look, "You guys are so cute, you know that?"

Yami shook his head in protest and watched as she got out of the car, still giggling. He stepped out of the car and followed her up the stairs towards Hiro's apartment.

They walked through the building in silence. Yami could hear sounds of laughter and the clinking of glasses coming from behind the other doors in the hallway. He gripped his phone in his pocket, wishing Hiro would at least respond to his messages.

They arrived at Hiro's door and Anzu nodded at him encouragingly, "Let's knock."

Yami's heart began racing as he raised his hand slightly, tapping his knuckles against the wood, "Hiro?" he called hopefully.

There was no answer.

Yami knocked again, his heart sinking. "Hiro?" he spoke louder this time, and rapped insistently against the door. And they waited, listening for movement behind the door but hearing none.

"Maybe he's asleep?" Anzu suggested hesitantly.

"Maybe." Yami repeated, frowning. The last time, Hiro had at least called him back, but this time, it was all just radio silence.

"Well, it was worth a try. Let's head back?" Anzu said lightly, sensing Yami's disappointment.

"Hiro!" Yami cried, pounding a fist on the door.

"Okay, we're going to stop..." Anzu said hastily, grabbing Yami light by the wrist and leading him away from the door.

Yami let her pull him away, and he glared at the door, feeling extremely upset. Was Hiro not at home? If he wasn't at home, where could he have gone?

Yami found himself standing in front of the passenger side door and he stared at the blue handle, feeling nauseous.

"Get in." Anzu said lightly, rolling the window down and starting the engine with a gentle rumble, "We'll try again tomorrow."

Yami nodded numbly and pulled the door open. He sat down heavily into the seat and slammed the door closed, buckling his seat belt with more force than was needed.

"Hey, hey." Anzu said, frowning, "You'll get to talk with him eventually. You don't know what he does for the rest of the day, so it's only logical you might not catch him on a day where he's free, okay?"

Yami nodded silently and stared gloomily out the window, while Anzu pulled out onto the road and sped off.

Now this proved that Hiro was avoiding him for sure. What had happened?! Their last meeting went perfectly. They had kissed and slept together comfortably. Yami fished his phone out and stared at the dark screen. Perhaps Anzu was right, maybe this friendship with Hiro wasn't worth pursuing...but, Yami gripped the phone tightly. Why did he feel so... _alive,_ when he was with Hiro? It was thrilling and he was always so thoughtful and gentle.

Anzu glanced carefully over at Yami, who was brooding intensely in the seat beside her. She slowed the car down and parked in front of the game shop, shutting the engine off quietly. They had ridden the entire way in silence and Anzu knew a break down was imminent. If Hiro was ghosting Yami, Yami would have to learn the hard way.

"Lighten up." Anzu said reassuringly, opening her car door widely, letting the cool summer air blow gently into the car, "You'll see him tomorrow. And if not, we'll go to his apartment. Every day. Until you fix the ...misunderstanding."

Yami barely heard her speak and he nodded stiffly, reaching for the door handle and pushing heavily, stepping gloomily out of the car. Anzu slammed the door and walked towards the game shop, smiling over her shoulder at him, "Come on, I'll bet they're all waiting for us inside."

Yami nodded again and followed her moodily, watching as her heels clicked pleasantly across the concrete.

* * *

"Seto?" Mokuba shook his older brother slightly, "Seto, please wake up. It's almost 11PM.."

Kaiba cracked his eyes open and sat up slowly, looking over at Mokuba who was kneeling next to him on the bed, looking worried.

"Hey," Kaiba said warmly, pulling his younger brother into a gentle one-armed hug.

Mokuba threw his arms around Seto's neck and buried his face into his older brother's shirt, noticing that he didn't smell like cologne, "I missed you today!"

"I missed you too." Kaiba responded, rubbing his neck stiffly, realizing he had fallen asleep at an awkward angle.

"I'm about to go to bed. I just wanted to say good night." Mokuba said softly, slipping his hand into Seto's much larger one.

Kaiba squeezed Mokuba's hand reassuringly, "Want me to tuck you in?"

His younger brother shook his head quickly, "Nuh uh. I'll go now."

"Okay." Kaiba said quickly, leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on top of Mokuba's thick, black hair.

Mokuba nodded and wiggled off the bed, rushing to the door and giving him one last look before closing the door behind him.

Kaiba leaned back onto the bed, staring up at his dark ceiling. He had slept the day away, again. It was a good thing he finished all his shit yesterday...he had a meeting to attend to tomorrow. _Fuck_ , Kaiba cursed as he rolled over, realizing his days and nights were now flipped, due to Yami's erratic visiting schedule. Speaking of Yami...

Kaiba leapt up off the bed and checked his company phone. No texts from Yami, but a flurry of texts from his secretary and personal calendar notifications. He clicked the phone off in annoyance and slid his thumb across the sensor by his desk drawer, hearing the lock click open.

Kaiba reached in hastily and pulled out Hiro's phone. He stared at it for a moment before grabbing the connector cord from the drawer. Kaiba plugged it into his computer forcefully, watching the screen glow with his logo.

He flipped his laptop open and sat down, loading the phone's memory onto his screen. He tapped the messages archive folder and he scrolled through the texts. He had several missed calls from Yami, and a long series of messages.

Kaiba's heart sank as he began to read them.

"Hiro,

If I have done something to upset you, please tell me. I would like to discuss the matter with you and apologize in person."

And beneath that text was another.

"Hiro, I swear this won't become a habit, but I'm stopping by your apartment. I would like to speak with you face-to-face."

Shit..! Kaiba clenched his fists tightly, recalling Yami's last visit to his apartment. He figured Anzu probably drove him there this time too. It was a good thing he was absent. He held his breath and read the text beneath that.

"I missed you today. And I want to let you know I'm not angry about the incident with security. If there is something you need to tell me, I will listen, and I will try my best to understand!"

Kaiba leaned back in his seat and stared at the screen. Not angry huh? The image of Yami's deeply hurtful look shot across the front of his mind and Kaiba winced. I beg to differ, he thought darkly.

Suddenly, another text popped up on the screen.

"Hiro,

Anzu and I waited in front of your apartment this afternoon, were you ...not home?"

Kaiba's hands hovered over the keyboard, tensing, before lowering back into his lap. No, he couldn't respond.

He stared at the text and was about to close the lid of his laptop before another text appeared on the screen.

"I really miss you."

Kaiba shook with anger and frustration as he picked up his company phone and shot Yami a text, tapping on the screen furiously, "Asleep?"

He sent it and leaned back in his seat, waiting for Yami to respond.

Yami was rolled up in his bed, the covers wound up tightly around his body, his phone screen glowing brightly back at him in the darkness. Kaiba had sent him a text just as he was composing another message to Hiro.

"No, not yet. But, soon." Yami responded, and flipped back to his messages with Hiro, finishing his text.

Kaiba watched as another text on Hiro's phone bubbled up on the screen, "I need to tell you something important. Could you please respond?"

No. Kaiba thought viciously as he typed out a response to Yami on his company phone, "What are you up to so late if you're not asleep?" Kaiba read it over, making sure it sounded every bit as accusatory as he intended it to be, and he sent it, carefully watching both the laptop screen and his phone.

Another text bubbled up on his laptop screen, "Hiro, Are you having trouble receiving my messages? Please, answer me..."

Kaiba lost it. He felt his vision turn red as he yanked the cord out from his computer and began typing out a response on the phone.

Yami gasped as he watched all of his texts blink and refresh as the read receipts appeared beneath them. Hiro was awake!

"Hiro!" Yami typed excitedly, and he hit the call button quickly, eager to hear Hiro's gentle voice in his ear.

Kaiba was in mid-word when the call sign flashed across his screen, and he almost hit the green button in his haste and anger.

No, don't you fucking call Hiro! Kaiba growled, declining the call and finishing up his text, "What is it? You woke me up. I also don't think you should stop by the bakery anymore." And he sent it, watching the text float up onto the screen.

Yami blinked and frowned. Hiro had once again cut his call off on the first ring. He lowered his phone and read the text. How long had Hiro been asleep? Was he asleep earlier when he and Anzu had dropped by?

"I want to tell you something..important!" Yami wrote, trying to portray his emotions as best he could. "I would like to reconcile with you! Did I do something to make you angry?"

Kaiba glared at the screen, shaking with anger. Hell fucking yes he was furious. Yami was now pointedly ignoring the text from Kaiba, and choosing only to speak with Hiro.

"You can tell me. Here. Now." Kaiba wrote, his fingers trembling, he was misspelling every other word and it was becoming difficult to compose longer sentences.

"I have to say it to you while you are standing in front of me. Please." Yami wrote, leaning his head heavily down onto his pillow. It was obvious Hiro was have difficulty expressing something...Yami couldn't figure out what.

"Okay, where and when?" Kaiba wrote, his mind racing furiously.

Yami read the text quickly and responded, "There is a nice little sandwich shop within walking distance from the game shop. 3PM? I know your shift ends around 11... Perhaps you could come in and spend the rest of the day with me? After we talk..."

Oh it's a date, isn't it? A fucking date! Kaiba screamed internally, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. You would easily ask Hiro out on a date, but me? No. What makes us so damn different Yami?!

"I'll see you then." Kaiba wrote, and he watched as Yami sent him back an emoji of a heart. He wanted to die. That's just cute, fucking cute. Kaiba thought spitefully, clicking the phone off and throwing it forcefully down on the desk, feeling his blood boil.

His company phone buzzed. Yami had sent him a single text, "Good night Kaiba. I won't be paying you a visit tonight, so I hope you'll manage to get some well-deserved rest."

Good fucking night to you too! Kaiba fumed, and he ignored the text, slamming his fists down onto his desk painfully. Everything had been going so damn nicely, and now...he had to go and fuck it up for himself, again!

Hiro's phone buzzed loudly across from him and Kaiba dreaded reading the next text.

"I dreamed about you." Yami wrote, "And you felt so real. I miss you so much. "

Kaiba chewed the inside of his cheek, his vision blurring. Yep, he fucked up. Square one, again. He turned the phone off completely and shoved it back into the drawer, not bothering to lock it.

Kaiba then flipped his laptop open, aiming to drown himself in his work, because anything was better than feeling the stabs of pain which were shooting through his chest with every beat of his heart.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Thank you all who have followed this story so far! The hurt is piling on and Kaiba needs to find a solution fast! D:

hugs,  
Ugli

**Next Chapter Preview**

"Kaib..a..." Yami voice was muffled as he snuggled his face deeper across Kaiba's chest, gripping the lapels of Kaiba's trench coat tightly. He could hear Kaiba's heart beating loudly against his ear and Yami felt himself flush.

Kaiba is just as excited as I am...! Yami thought as he daringly inched his hands up and placed them lightly across Kaiba's abdomen, swallowing tightly as he felt nothing but Kaiba's muscles rippling beneath his fingertips.


	15. It would be great

Yami could barely contain his excitement as he sat himself down into one of the plush seats in the auditorium.

 _I'm going to see Hiro today!_ Yami thought happily, slipping his bag off from his shoulder and carefully tucking it under his seat. He glanced up at the screen hanging several feet in front of him.

Bold white letters cast against a dark purple screen read: "Guest Speaker Presentation: Henry Matsuda". There were a bunch of smaller text underneath the title, but Yami didn't bother to read it. He didn't care. He had to be present for this speaker, courtesy of an idiotic assignment, and that concept alone annoyed him. But he was here anyway. He might as well do anything to pass the time, anything to make the morning go by a little faster.

Yami pulled out his phone and scrolled through the messages he had sent Hiro last night, trying to read between the lines. Did any of Hiro's texts sound angry or upset? Had he missed any subtle cues?

The auditorium began to grow louder as more and more students began filling the room. The rustles and hushed whispers echoed around the spacious room and Yami tuned everything out, frowning down at his screen. He always considered himself as perceptive person, but Hiro's behavior was downright frustrating and confusing.

"Is this spot taken?" A stranger hovered around in his peripheral and Yami ignored them. He tucked his feet beneath his seat, thinking the person wanted to cross in front of him.

"Um, you're...Yugi, right? C-Can I sit here?"

Yami blinked slowly and looked up at the stranger. He was wearing a slightly ill-fitting suit and had light crop of blond hair messily covering a pair soft brown eyes. The stranger immediately reminded him of Joey.

"Sorry if it is taken." the stranger mumbled, moving to step past Yami.

Yami shook his head and leaned back into the seat. "You may sit." he said regally, eyeing the boy calculatingly.

"Thanks." the stranger said, flushing slightly and settled himself down quietly beside him.

Yami frowned, slightly irritated by the fact that he was no longer sitting alone.  
He glanced back up at the podium, watching a few staff members, wearing matching purple shirts, scurry across the platform, whispering into headsets and gesturing to people in the front row.

"So, do you know who's speaking today?" the stranger asked him excitedly, his eyes darting around the auditorium which was almost completely full. There were only a few other empty seats left, one being the one to Yami's right.

"It says so right up there." Yami said tiredly, nodding his head up at the text on the screen, gripping his phone tightly in annoyance. He wanted to be alone. Could the stranger, perhaps, not talk so much?

"No, dude, I mean, like who he is!" the stranger whispered, "Oh hey ...Rich! Dude hey!" He reached across Yami's face to shake the hand of another male who took the seat on Yami's right.

Yami leaned backwards into his seat even further, jerking his head aside as the stranger's thumb almost brushed underneath his nose when he reached over to grab his friend's hand, too close to his face. Too close!

Yami felt his irritation shift into anger. He glanced around the room, realizing every seat had now been taken and the quiet whispers had turned into loud laughter and excited chattering. Everything was echoing too much and it was giving Yami a headache. Now he wanted to leave, badly.

"I'm Tommy, nice to meet you." the stranger spoke again, reaching a hand out for Yami to shake.

Yami shook it delicately, trying to keep the annoyance out of his expression as he smiled at the annoying Tommy,"Nice to meet you."

"Right, and that's my dude, Rich." Tommy pointed over at the male on Yami's right, who had propped his backpack up on his lap, his head buried into the folds, fast asleep.

 _How can he sleep in this environment?_ Yami thought to himself, horrified.

Tommy began to speak again, "But yeah like I was saying, this Henry Matsuda guy. He has his fingers in everything. He's got investments parked in the auto industry, the food industry..."

Yami looked towards the podium again, tuning him out, wishing Tommy would shut up. Why did people have to talk so much?

"...kinda like Seto Kaiba." Tommy concluded, nodding. "What do you think?"

Yami blinked and turned his attention back to Tommy fully, "What do I think about... Seto Kaiba..?"

"No, dude, about this Matsuda, trying to be like Kaiba. He's investing in everything, dude ...did you not get what I said?" Tommy frowned at him worriedly, "Maybe you could use a coffee. I know I need one. Shit."

Yami wrinkled his nose at this new information. So this Matsuda was..Kaiba's competitor? No, someone striving to achieve Kaiba's status but clearly falling short, Yami thought ruefully. Perhaps he would stay and listen to what this man had to say after all.

Suddenly, a young woman in one of the dark purple shirts walked onto the stage and stood behind the wooden podium. Yami could see the tiny dot of the microphone jutting out just over her collarbones. The students kept on chattering and laughing, ignoring the lady on the stage.

"There has been a slight delay, our guest will arrive on the stage shortly, everyone! Please stay in your seats and we will ask you to turn your cellphones off now, please!" She repeated, sounding almost desperate. Yami smirked and did nothing. Beside him, Tommy groaned, reaching for his phone and shutting it off.

Yami glanced down at his phone and tapped on Kaiba's name in his phone, writing him a quick text, "Have you heard of someone named...Henry Matsuda? An investor?" and he sent it. Somewhere behind him, a girl laughed shrilly and a camera flashed.

"No flash photography!" The woman cried, running back up to the podium and shouting into the crowd, "Our guest is very particular...-" Her voice was drowned out by the loud clamor of students still laughing and talking among each other merrily.

"Wow, I feel bad for her." Tommy commented, glancing over at his friend on Yami's right, "Yo, Rich, you gonna sleep through this? Rich! Wake up!" Tommy leaned across Yami and poked his friend with the tip of his water bottle.

"Would you like to sit beside him?" Yami asked aggressively. He hated being a human bridge.

"Nah, I'd like to get to know you better!" Tommy cried, smiling widely...too widely.

Yami felt his phone buzz in response and he looked down quickly. Kaiba had responded with, "Never heard of him. Investor? Please Yami, he's more like a peasant."

Yami bit his lip, trying not to laugh out loud. Tommy leaned intrusively over his shoulder, "Holy shit! Are you..texting Seto Kaiba? Dude...I mean are you guys like, friends, cuz sometimes I see you on TV with him."

Yami jerked his phone away so hard he almost elbowed Tommy in the face.

"Back off." he glowered, quickly thinking up of a lie, "And no, the name in this phone refers to an inside joke."

"Cool, cool," Tommy said, leaning back into his seat casually, "I really admire Seto Kaiba. The dude is like my idol. I'm into that whole...business scene, you feel me?" Tommy arrogantly adjusted the knot of his tie and smiled again, nodding at the girls in front of them who had turned around to throw him annoyed glances.

 _Kaiba would step all over you. You wouldn't last two minutes in the "business scene". Especially if you're wearing that suit,_ Yami thought viciously, tucking his phone safely away in his pocket.

"Speaking of Seto Kaiba, dude, like, on my first day here, I got fucking lost, you feel me?" Tommy said, taking a noisy swig from his water bottle. "And like this handsome-ass dude was all like, "I'll show you the way", and he fucking saves my ass..."

"Get to the point." Yami growled, watching as several staff members with purple shirts made the entire front row of people rise and move towards the back of the auditorium. "Are they running out of space?"

"Who knows?" Tommy said carelessly, "Anyway, that dude was like, shaking my hand and was all like, "Nice to meet you, I'm Seto Kaiba." I fucking died! I was like, no way dude! Ahahahhaa!"

And Tommy cracked up, snorting obnoxiously. The girls in front of them turned to glare at them and Yami ducked his head down apologetically, but realized they weren't glaring at him, they were glaring at Tommy.

Yami watched as four men wearing a purple shirts and headsets stepped up onto the stage and carried the heavy wooden podium away.

"What the hell is taking them so damn long?" Tommy sighed, "Fuck man, I turned my phone off for this shit."

Suddenly, the lights shut off completely in the auditorium, throwing everything into complete darkness. A girl screamed shrilly and it echoed up and down the rows, sending a chill up Yami's spine. The room grew hushed and the woman's voice floated through the speakers nervously, "Light test, sound test! Sorry people!"

Several lights flooded the stage, lighting up only the front, and the room began to liven up again. Yami heard nervous laughter and annoyed sighs.

"Why didn't you guys do that before?!" someone shouted hoarsely out at the stage.

"Yeah!" Someone else chorused, and other yells of discontent rose up around the room.

Yami stared at the lights on the stage, feeling his eyelids grow heavy. This was either going to be really boring, or really boring. And it seemed like the crowd was beginning to think so too. Perhaps he could try to message Hiro while they waited...

Suddenly, there was piercing loud feedback from the speakers and several people stood up angrily, moving through the rows towards the exit. Yami bent down and quickly grabbed his bag from underneath his seat, also eager to leave.

"Whoa hey bro, don't go!" Tommy cried, "Technical difficulties, thatssall!"

Yami gripped his bag tightly and opened his mouth to retaliate, but his voice was drowned out by the cold voice coming from through the speakers.

"If you're planning on leaving, go ahead. The doors will be _shut and locked_ once I take the stage, so there will be no distractions."

The crowd hushed and people stopped rustling around in their seats.

Yami froze, goosebumps running up and down his arms. This voice...

There was a faint echoing of clicking heels on wood as Kaiba strode confidently onto the stage, the tails from his trench-coat trailed dramatically behind him and it seemed like the entire audience was holding their breath.

"Too late. Better take a seat." Kaiba said gleefully, gripping the silver microphone tightly, sweeping his cold gaze over the crowd.

Everyone burst out into a thunderous applause, cheering and screaming excitedly, with some students rising to their feet respectfully. Tommy jumped out of his seat, whooping and whistling. His friend on Yami's right was jerked awake by the noise, and he stared sleepily up at the stage, slack-jawed and thunderstruck.

Yami couldn't move. He couldn't think or breathe. That would explain Kaiba's savage opinion of Matsuda. "Peasant" was it? Yami thought faintly as the applause and cheers grew to a deafening volume, causing his ears to ring painfully.

Kaiba stood at the center of the stage, his arms crossed firmly over his chest, taking in the thunderous welcome. He could feel the heat from the lights beating down on him, his black turtleneck was becoming uncomfortably hot.

The people who were at the exits hurried back into the rows, their shadows moving quickly, slightly obscuring Yami's view of the stage as they tripped over other people's feet in their haste to return to their seats.

"Now!" Kaiba spoke loudly over the cheers, "There are a variety of techniques..."

The audience quieted instantaneously. The standing members of the audience sat down hastily and there were muffled rustles as people adjusted themselves comfortably into their seats.

"...new ways to strategize, plan, and optimize business operations. How, does one capture new market opportunities?" Kaiba continued, searching the audience for a familiar crop of spiky hair, but the lights were too harsh, too blinding, making it difficult for him to even see past the fourth row.

"How?" Kaiba repeated coldly, striding across the length of the stage, "I'm expecting an answer." He knew Yami was here, the text he had received earlier proved it. Had he managed to leave during the disorganized lull and the commotion? No, he had to be here.

He watched as several students raised their fists up in the air, vying for his attention.

"Re-adjust the lights." Kaiba said, addressing one of the staff members who wore a headset, hovering near the far end of the stage. "I'll be actively interacting with the audience."

There were several cheers and scattered applause. Yami felt his palms sweat profusely as he gripped his bag even tighter. Kaiba would be able to see the entire audience if the room was lit normally. If he had received his text regarding Matsuda, did that mean Kaiba knew he was sitting here? Yami swallowed dryly, feeling strangely excited and nervous.

Kaiba smirked as the lights from the stage shut off and the auditorium lit up brightly before him. He could see every face clearly now. Let the search begin.

"Who can tell me?" Kaiba said deeply, methodically running his gaze over the room, row by row.

He chose a student on the far right, at the very back of the auditorium. Her voice echoed as she began answering him clearly and thoroughly. Kaiba nodded, appreciatively, half-listening as he searched the entire row she was sitting in.

Yami was not sitting in the far back. Next row.

Yami watched as Kaiba's eyes strayed from the girl who was answering, his eyes steadily moving left to right, and back to the left again. He felt a gigantic lump rise up in his throat. Was Kaiba looking for him?!

"...and that results in greater flexibility." the girl concluded. The audience burst out in a polite applause at her impressive answer and Kaiba nodded again, his eyes sweeping down across the other two rows in front of her.

"You're right, "Kaiba said slowly, walking the length of the stage again, "That can be extremely helpful in targeted marketing campaigns. The specific types of business analytics...include?"

Yami shifted uncomfortably in his seat when Tommy thrust his fist up in the air, waving frantically.

Kaiba's gaze landed a youth with messy blond hair, and he froze. This kid looked familiar somehow. He couldn't place it but he could've sworn they had met before. Kaiba nodded at him and pointed, looking at the seat directly to his right.

His heart skipped a beat as he realized, Yami was sitting right there!

 _Found you!_ Kaiba thought triumphantly and he grinned handsomely, staring directly into Yami's deep violet eyes which were wide with shock.

The blonde youth was answering his question, talking in circles and rambling, but Kaiba didn't care. He nodded and kept smiling widely at Yami, watching him blink slowly back at him.

Yami watched as Kaiba smiled the most dazzling smile he had ever seen, seemingly directed towards him personally.

 _He's looking right at me!_ Yami thought nervously, his stomach fluttering wonderfully. _Is he? Or is he..looking at._..Yami shifted away from Tommy slightly. Could Kaiba see him? Of course he could, he was talking to Tommy beside him.

Several girls in the row in front of Yami began whispering and squealing.

"Oh my god, so handsome!" one of the girls whispered, "It's like he's staring right at me!"

Yami felt his stomach drop to his feet. Of course, he wasn't the only person feeling this way. How could he confirm that Kaiba was only looking at him? Kaiba _was_ only looking at him, wasn't he?

"Yes, imagine him sitting across from you on a date, smiling like that." her friend responded, giggling quietly.

He glanced over at Tommy, who was still chattering away beside him, his voice echoing loudly up and down the spacious auditorium. All eyes were turned on him and Yami wondered faintly, if he waved, would Kaiba wave back?

Yami decided to risk it. The girls in front of him were beginning to irritate him with their incessant whispering about Kaiba's smile. Kaiba only smiled like that for him, he had never seen Kaiba treat anyone else that way other than Mokuba, Yami was sure of it.

Kaiba watched as Yami shifted and looked around, visibly upset. He was secretly glad this youth was talking himself around in circles; it was giving him more time to stare pointedly at Yami. Suddenly, Yami held his gaze steady, looking directly at him as he raised his hand slowly, palm facing him, fingers raised and pressed together tightly.

Kaiba watched intently as Yami's hand angled slightly to the left and then over to the right, before slowly lowering back down onto his lap.

A wave! Kaiba felt his spirits soar and he let out a light laugh, timing it perfectly with the conclusion of the blond youth's statement.

"Thank you, for that." Kaiba said, nodding and giving Yami his classic, playful two-finger salute.

"Awesome, no problem dude, you're my idol bro!" Tommy yelled hoarsely, and the audience laughed heartily.

Several girls in the crowd squealed excitedly and Kaiba gripped the microphone tightly, feeling extremely light hearted as he continued to speak. Yami had seen him, and he had even waved. That thought alone made him stand up straighter.

Kaiba stepped boldly across the stage once more, speaking energetically, seeing several faces in the crowd nod and smile back at him. This was perfect. He had Yami's full attention for two and half hours.

Yami leaned back in his seat, feeling as if an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Kaiba waved back! In fact, he had even..thanked him for it? Yami felt slightly lightheaded as he propped his head up on one elbow, watching Kaiba walk back and forth across the stage, his boots clicking loudly against the wooden panels.

Two hours; Kaiba would be up there for two hours. Yami smiled to himself, feeling deeply satisfied. He could stare as much as he wanted and watch Kaiba as he pleased, for two full hours. After all, it would only be ...polite. Perhaps Kaiba would smile at him again, and he would have to be paying attention to catch those smiles.

Kaiba was pointing at the screen behind him, speaking quickly, calling on other members of the audience and nodding curtly as they spoke. Kaiba had stepped off the stage and stood against the empty front row, gripping the microphone in his slender fingers, actively listening to the students answering his questions.

Yami watched with great interest as Kaiba paced along the empty seats. He now knew why Kaiba had moved the entire front row; he had to be closer to the audience to hear their replies. Yami's eyes traveled up Kaiba's slender arm, watching as he pointed to yet another student, now wishing he had chosen a seat closer to the front.

Yami couldn't tear his gaze away from Kaiba's fingers, the way they curled and uncurled over the microphone. He swallowed thickly, images from their night in the plaza flashed unwittingly before his eyes.

He could almost taste cotton candy off of Kaiba's finger from pure imagination. Was it possible that they had gotten closer? Seto Kaiba, who was striding boldly across the stage, commanding the attention of hundreds of people, as one of the wealthiest men in Japan...

Yami felt himself shake as he tried to stay composed in his seat, his thoughts threatening to consume him. The shirtless photo Kaiba had sent him also floated to the surface of his mind and Yami pushed the thought down frantically, but the image kept resurfacing, almost as if it had a life of it's own. He stared at the black folds above Kaiba's belt buckle, which flashed at him occasionally every time it caught the light.

Yami clenched and unclenched his fists, as he could faintly make out the curves from the muscles on Kaiba's abdomen outlined against the tight, black fabric. He felt himself sweat slightly and his heart raced as Yami entertained the thought of running his hands roughly over Kaiba's body, to feel every dip and curve of his body against his palms. Would Kaiba even let him do that?

Yami was now wholeheartedly regretting his decision not to move up closer.

Kaiba paused as a staff member in a purple shirt waved at him and he nodded at her, "One moment." he said, addressing the audience.

Yami watched as the woman whispered something at Kaiba, and Kaiba nodded, raising the microphone to his lips, "Ladies and gentleman, there will be a short intermission."

Yami bit his lip nervously, feeling slightly dizzy. Intermission?

Kaiba strode out into the center of the stage, shutting off the screen, his eyes sweeping over the audience, looking for the place where Yami sat. "We'll also be running 20 minutes long, because of the previous delays. Please return in fifteen minutes. Doors will lock at exactly 1:15. Thank you."

There was a short burst of polite applause as Kaiba walked elegantly off the stage, handing the microphone to the nearest staff worker.

Yami jumped to his feet eagerly, his mind racing, wondering if he could get backstage somehow. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one with that idea.

"Dude! Let's go find him backstage!" Tommy shouted over the excited clamor of the students around them.

Yami shook his head faintly, hearing the girls in front of them stand up and repeat similar sentiments, "Oooo do you think we can somehow sneak back there and get his autograph?" One of the girl's squeaked.

"Ah why not!" Tommy whined, "Well I'm going without you bro, I don't care if I get locked out, I wanna shake his hand! Rich, let's go! You come with me, bro."

Yami nodded stiffly and turned to go, hugging his bag close to his chest as he squeezed his way out of the aisle. He was the one who was going to succeed in getting backstage, after all, he had Kaiba's phone number.

He pushed his way out of the auditorium, watching as students gathered around outside in little circles, discussing Kaiba's speech excitedly.

Yami pulled his phone out and realized he already had a text message from Kaiba. Holding his breath, Yami read the message, "Come through entrance #2E, I want to see you."

Yami clutched the phone tightly as his heart thudded loudly inside his chest. Kaiba wanted to see him! Entrance #2E was definitely where he was going. He had to make sure no one would follow him.

Yami slipped his bag casually over his shoulder and swiftly walked towards the end of the building, making it seem as though he was leaving.

"Yugi! Yugi, please get his autograph!" Someone yelled behind him. Yami turned around and viciously gave the stranger the middle finger. He quickly turned and hurried around the building.

He stepped into a narrow hallway and he began counting doors. He threw a look over his shoulder, listening for footsteps, hearing none.

He stopped at a door labeled #2A, and Yami spotted a small group of people who were all wearing purple shirts and headsets, sitting on benches beneath some trees a few yards away.

 _Kaiba!_ Yami thought happily and quickened his pace, hugging the wall methodically, keeping close to the doors. Suddenly, his shoulder bumped painfully into a door which opened right into him. He leapt back, grabbing his shoulder which was smarting and stinging.

A slender arm wrapped in a steel cuff reached out from behind the door with it's palm open, upwards. Yami's heart skipped a beat as he recognized it instantly. That was Kaiba's hand! He immediately grabbed it without a second thought and was pulled into a dark classroom, lit only by the small sliver of windows lined against the walls.

Before Yami could speak or even manage to get a good look at Kaiba's face, he was pulled into a tight embrace, his cheek pressed firmly into Kaiba's well-muscled chest, and the scent from Hiro's cologne drifted up around him enticingly.

"Kaib..a." Yami voice was muffled as he snuggled his face deeper across Kaiba's chest, gripping the lapels of Kaiba's trench coat tightly. He could hear Kaiba's heart beating loudly against his ear and Yami felt himself flush. Kaiba was just as excited as he was...! Yami daringly inched his hands up and placed them lightly across Kaiba's abdomen, swallowing tightly as he felt nothing but Kaiba's muscles rippling beneath his fingertips.

Kaiba released him and slid his arms up over Yami's slender shoulders, giving them a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Surprised?" Kaiba grinned as he tossed the hair out of his eyes, laughing lightly. Yami smiled back up at him genuinely, feeling himself drowning in Kaiba's clear blue gaze.

"Yes...I was very surprised!" Yami replied, smiling brightly, "I'm glad to see you."

Kaiba nodded, his irritation at Yami from last night slipping away the more he saw Yami smile. He reached up and gently cupped Yami's face in his hands, "You were sitting so far away."

Yami felt Kaiba's warm hands cup his face and he reached up, wrapping his fingers carefully around the steel cuff on Kaiba's wrist, the cold metal almost burned at his heated touch. Yami swallowed nervously again, feeling Kaiba's words excite him...too much.

"I just chose a random spot. If I had known you were going to be speaking..." Yami blinked and blinked, Kaiba's gaze was burning a hole through him, and Yami felt like he was melting on the spot, with nothing but Kaiba's hands wrapped gently around his face, holding him up for support.

"Mmhm.." Kaiba hummed, pressing his forehead down tightly against Yami's, feeling Yami's eyelashes flutter across his lips as he blinked wildly. A kiss, he wanted to kiss Yami, so badly. Could he do so now?! They were running out of time, he only had fifteen minutes. Was his performance impressive enough? What more did he have to do before he could gain Yami's approval and consent...

Yami blinked frantically as Kaiba pressed his lips across his eyelids, his hot breath grazing down his cheek dangerously. Another attempt at a kiss...Yami realized, slightly disoriented. Perhaps...he could kiss Kaiba. After all, he had never done such a thing before! If he was in love with Hiro, how could he know for sure? He would sooner die from curiosity...

Yami's grip tightened around Kaiba's steel cuff, and he jutted up slightly on his toes, straining his neck upwards, his nose grazing slowly past Kaiba's soft lips. Kaiba was impossibly tall..! He couldn't reach!

 _Oh..?_ Kaiba thought gleefully as he felt Yami struggle to meet his lips, standing up on his tiptoes, almost stumbling forwards slightly if it weren't for his hands holding his face firmly in place.

Kaiba leaned down and bumped his nose lightly across Yami's, hovering his lips tantalizingly above Yami, feeling Yami inhale deeply as he exhaled gently, "What's the matter?" he whispered. Kaiba wanted to hear Yami say that he wanted a kiss. He had gone through too much pain, too much trouble, to just to give him what he wanted so easily.

A kiss! A kiss..! Yami thought frantically, his grip slipping on Kaiba's wrist.

"A..k-k...i.." Yami's could barely make out the words as his calves were beginning to burn with effort. He continuously jutted up higher and higher on his toes, unable to reach Kaiba's lips. His mind had gone blank, the only thing he wanted was the feel of Kaiba's mouth on his. Perhaps he could climb up on Kaiba...somehow.

"A what?" Kaiba asked devilishly, sweeping a thumb gently across Yami's rosy cheeks. He smirked, enjoying the pink flush tinting Yami's complexion.

Yami glanced down at his feet and back up into Kaiba's warm blue gaze. He strained upwards again, throwing his arms around Kaiba's neck, struggling to pull himself higher. "A kiss!" Yami exclaimed, louder than he intended to, and he blushed a deep shade of crimson.

Kaiba blinked once, reminding himself to keep his self control before he dipped his head down and lightly brushed his lips across Yami's, feeling Yami part his lips hungrily. Kaiba pulled back immediately and smiled the most gentle smile he could muster, "There. How was that?"

Yami blinked up at Kaiba, extremely confused and frustrated. Was Kaiba teasing him or did he really not know how to kiss?

"Terrible." Yami enunciated, digging his nails into Kaiba's neck, expressing his extreme displeasure.

"Hey ...that hurts!" Kaiba winced, reaching up to pry Yami's fingers off from around his neck.

"That wasn't a kiss." Yami insisted, tightening his grip stubbornly and shaking his head furiously. "Again. Another."

"That was a kiss..!" Kaiba said gleefully, grinning down at him. "You didn't specify what _kind_ of kiss you wanted."

"Kaiba..!" Yami jumped upwards slightly, pulling on Kaiba's neck with all his strength, "Stop being ridiculous!"

Kaiba nodded and cupped Yami's face in his hands again. He placed a gentle kiss on Yami's cheek first, feeling Yami gasp lightly and he pressed his mouth tightly over Yami's lips, keeping his teeth clenched to prevent any possibilities of Yami's tongue entering his mouth. Kaiba couldn't risk it. He was pretty sure he only tasted like coffee on one occasion when he had kissed Yami as Hiro...still, he knew Yami was going to be making comparisons, and he couldn't have that working against him.

Yami blinked once, and closed his eyes, feeling Kaiba's lips press tightly against his. They were slim and firm lips, not soft and inviting like Hiro's open-mouthed kisses. Perhaps... if he could taste Kaiba, just slightly? Yami slipped his tongue out tentatively but was met with a teeth. Confused, Yami pulled back and let go of Kaiba, his calves were numb as his heels hit the linoleum tiles of the classroom.

His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he tried to stop his head from spinning. Kissing Kaiba was an entirely different experience! Kaiba's lips were so tight, thin, and cold. What's more...he refused to open his mouth to deepen the kiss.

 _Perhaps I'm the one being strange!_ Yami thought blurrily as he gripped Kaiba's arms tightly, steadying himself.

Kaiba felt Yami pull back and he frowned, feeling slightly anxious. Yami's grip had tightened painfully over his forearms. Had he been found out? Was he ..angry?

Yami looked up at Kaiba, his eyes burning with emotion. "That was better, but only slightly." Yami said coldly, managing to find his voice.

Kaiba bit back a laugh and smiled down at Yami, amused, "Was that not the kiss you wanted?"

Yami stepped back from Kaiba, holding him away at arm's length, and glared. He wasn't sure if Kaiba was still teasing him.

"Are you messing with me?" Yami asked angrily, releasing Kaiba's arms and clenching his fists at his sides. This wasn't the least bit funny, and Kaiba was smiling at him, clearly amused.

Kaiba tilted his head at Yami and was about to respond before a staff member in a purple shirt burst into the room, "Mr. Kaiba...You're up!"

The man's eyes lingered over Yami and Kaiba stepped in front of him protectively, "I'm coming."

The man nodded and hurried away. Kaiba turned and reached his hand out towards Yami, "You can wait for me backstage. Come..."

Yami stared at Kaiba's hand, hesitating.

"Come on!" Kaiba said impatiently, desperately wishing Yami would just grab his hand already.

Yami nodded and slowly wrapped his hands around Kaiba's slender fingers. Kaiba felt a rush of relief as Yami took his hand, and they exited the classroom, walking quickly down the hall towards a wide, double-door entrance surrounded by more staff members in purple shirts.

The two men standing by the doors gave Yami a cold look. Kaiba nodded wordlessly at them, holding his hand up high, gripping Yami's hand tightly. Yami felt himself blush when the men stepped aside and let them through. Yami blinked, feeling slightly dizzy as he realized Kaiba seemed to have no problem boasting about their relationship.

Kaiba let go of his hand as they walked into a spacious area surrounded by wires and large, square lights which sat on the floor. Staff members in purple shirts rushed around them like bees, some whispering into their headsets, other staring down at clipboards or digital screens. Yami glanced around, amazed. He had never been backstage anywhere before, and this was an interesting experience.

Thick, cylindrical lights hung far above their heads and several staff members pushed Yami aside as they hurried up to Kaiba, reading him notes and handing him a microphone. Yami swallowed as he looked past Kaiba, managing to see catch a small glimpse of a gap leading to the stage.

There were so many people, all excitably chattering and staring directly at the blank panel that separated him from the audience.

Yami felt his stomach turn and he backed away from the lights, watching as one of the women in purple shirts adjusted Kaiba's lapel.

Yami swallowed tightly. How could they be touching him so casually? Another woman rushed up from behind him, gripping a spray bottle of water and began fixing Kaiba's hair with the sharp end of the comb. The other two women flanking him were still reciting the notes from a digital pad, and Kaiba was nodding and blinking as the hairstylist pushed his bangs right above his eyes.

Ah, Yami realized, this was what he would never see before Kaiba took any stage. He was always accustomed to seeing Kaiba already on the stage, all dressed up and ready. This was the process..!

A third woman elbowed him aside, apologizing quickly, holding a brush and a make-up compact. Yami backed away even further, realizing, this was what distance felt like.

"Smile." the woman commanded, hovering the brush in front of Kaiba's face. Kaiba showed all his teeth and Yami watched as the woman tapped the brush lightly across Kaiba's cheeks.

What was that for? Yami wondered, he couldn't see a difference...but perhaps the audience could.

"Ready?" The woman holding the digital pad asked stiffly.

"Yes." Kaiba said smoothly, "Tell me when."

The women around Kaiba dispersed suddenly and Yami blinked, taken aback by how quickly everything was moving. He looked at Kaiba's back, which stood imposingly in before him, facing the small set of steps leading up onto the stage, the tips of his white trench coat lightly grazing the floor.

Yami swallowed nervously, wondering if he should say something. Doubt began to consume him terribly and Yami kept silent, deciding it was better to say nothing at all. Suddenly, Kaiba turned around and smiled at him, a bright genuine smile.

Yami's breath caught in his throat as he struggled to find the right words to say.

Kaiba stepped forward and cupped his face in his hands again, he could feel the cold metal from the microphone pressing into his cheek as Kaiba stared deeply into his eyes.

Yami opened his mouth to speak again just as Kaiba leaned down and pressed his lips fully onto his, sliding his hot tongue deeply into his mouth. Yami felt his heart stop and the breath leave his body as Kaiba's lips moved warmly across his. He let Kaiba's tongue boldly explore his mouth, realizing with intense pleasure, that Kaiba tasted like...coffee..!

Kaiba straightened up suddenly and turned away, a staff member in a purple shirt stood right by the steps leading up the stage, gesturing for him to ascend the platform.

Yami stifled a startled gasp at the sudden loss of contact and he pressed his hand to his mouth, trying to keep the sensation of Kaiba's lips on his, just a little longer. What was...that?!

His thoughts were drowned out by the deafening cheers and applause coming from the audience. The noise echoed around behind him and Yami winced. It somehow sounded louder back here than it did when he was sitting in the audience. He glanced around quickly, noticing that many of the purple shirt staff members had quieted down and some had taken seats, casually sipping bottles of water.

Yami couldn't bring himself to move his hand away from his face, lest the memory of the warmth from Kaiba's lips float away. Kaiba had begun speaking but Yami couldn't hear a word of it. All he could think of, was the kiss. How it had felt so warm and inviting, it was almost..like..Hiro was kissing him...Yami mused, watching Kaiba's figure cross the small gap and disappear once more as he strode the length of the stage.

Was it possible that Kaiba's kiss was even more gentle? Was that possible? Yami swallowed thickly, his mind spinning. Kaiba was treating him this way, to sway him, on purpose, Yami knew. He was sure Kaiba was extremely aware of his conflict with Hiro, even though he had only mentioned Hiro's name twice in Kaiba's presence.

Knowing Kaiba, Yami thought darkly, he would've probably already found out everything there is to know about Hiro. Kaiba always kept tabs on his enemies, and his friends...if he had any. The gentle kiss was a soft declaration of war...Kaiba was forcing him to choose.

Yami swallowed painfully. He had to confess his feelings to Hiro, somehow, hopefully without Kaiba finding out, and resolve that loose end first. He looked glumly down at his shoes, Kaiba's voice echoing loudly in his eardrums. Yami couldn't believe he had actually told Kaiba, to his face, that he loved Hiro, when in fact, he hadn't even told Hiro any such thing!

He pulled out his phone and send Anzu a text message, "Anzu, I want to confess to Hiro, properly." and he sent it.

Yami gripped his phone tightly and stared up at the stage, watching Kaiba's trenchcoat tails graze along the floor. The audience laughed loudly and Yami's phone buzzed back at him.

"If you're sure." was all Anzu wrote.

Yami frowned at his screen and he typed carefully, "I know you have your doubts."

She responded instantaneously, "I'm glad you're aware, Yami, but I'm not the one confessing. If you're sure, I will support your decision."

"Thank you." Yami responded, unsure why he was feeling so uneasy. He would try to tell Hiro, today, when they met up at the cafe. Yami glanced the time, realizing it was 2:30! Could he make it in time? Would he have to leave in the middle of Kaiba's speech?

The audience gave another resounding round of applause and Kaiba swept off the stage amidst cheers and loud whooping. Yami blinked, feeling stricken. Such timing. Didn't Kaiba say they would run 20 minutes long due to delays? Apparently the crowd didn't seem to mind because they were still applauding and screaming Kaiba's name as he stepped out of view.

He approached Yami with a small smile, hand outstretched.

Yami tried to smile back but he felt himself wavering, and before he could reach out to grab Kaiba's hand, a swarm of staff members surrounded him, congratulating him. Someone even shoved a bouquet of flowers into Kaiba's arms, and Kaiba nodded politely, carefully walking towards the exit.

Yami followed the crowd, his phone buzzing again. It was Anzu.

"Do you want to talk about it in person before you confess?" she asked

Yami paused in his step to respond, "No, thank you Anzu. I've made up my mind."

He decided to tap on Hiro's name, typing out a quick message as the people in front of him thinned, "Hiro, I hope you're doing well. I can't wait to see you at the cafe soon!"

Kaiba looked over his shoulder, craning his neck over the crowd surrounding him, looking for Yami. His clenched his jaw nervously when he realized Yami had disappeared behind him.

"Mr. Kaiba, you were absolutely wonderful!" one of the staff members laughed, reaching out to touch his arm. Kaiba jerked his arm back and nodded at him stiffly.

"Mr. Kaiba, my daughter is a huge fan, perhaps you could sign something for me?" Another woman asked from somewhere below him. Kaiba's ears began ringing as the room spun slightly. Where was Yami? Did he leave? What time was it? Kaiba was sure he ended soon enough so that he could catch Yami before he left to go see _Hiro_ at that damn cafe.

"Mr. Kaiba..." someone stepped in front of him, blocking his way. Kaiba swept his eyes over the man, realizing there was no way Yami could've left. It was too crowded!

Kaiba swiftly turned his heel and backed out of the crowd, "Thank you, everyone. I forgot something-someone, inside." Kaiba corrected himself, and he hurried back through the stage entrance.

Sure enough, Yami was standing right in the middle of the room, staring quietly at his phone. A surge of unabated anger rose up inside him and Kaiba forced himself to calm down. There was no need to get angry at himself. He had already kissed Yami in the most Hiro-like way he could muster. Perhaps Yami wouldn't object to spending the afternoon with him, as himself...

"Yami!" Kaiba called, striding up quickly, trying to catch of glimpse of Yami's phone screen, but Yami was too quick. He snapped the screen back and held it against his chest protectively, "I'm coming." Yami said seriously, narrowing his eyes.

"I thought you had left." Kaiba said, shaking the hair from his eyes.

Yami frowned guiltily. He had almost considered leaving...to go meet Hiro.

"Mr. Kaiba!" Another purple shirt staff member rushed up to Kaiba and Yami turned away in extreme annoyance. "There's something for you in wardrobe?"

"Oh!" Kaiba had almost forgotten. "I'll be right there. He'll be coming with me, grab him something to drink, won't you?" He jerked his head over at Yami who was moodily staring in the opposite direction, clearly irritated. The staff member nodded and hurried away.

Kaiba stared at Yami's back for a few moments before circling around him and shoving the bouquet of flowers in his face.

Yami leaned his head back and blinked, visibly annoyed. The light floral scent drifted softly beneath his nose and Yami held his breath. He didn't want to inhale the fragrance of flowers given to Kaiba by someone else.

"What's wrong? I thought you liked flowers." Kaiba said, nodding.

Yami frown deepened. How on earth would Kaiba know that? Perhaps he had forgotten that he had mentioned it to Kaiba, seeing as how he had forgotten about giving Kaiba his number the other day. That seemed to be the most likely explanation.

"Hey...why are you so upset?" Kaiba asked softly. Yami blinked and looked down at his shoes, unsure if he should speak. Every time Kaiba spoke softly, the more strongly he was reminded of Hiro.

There were peals of loud laughter ringing out from behind them and several students had climbed up on the stage, acting out a playful skit, addressing themselves as "Kaiba" and "Yugi".

"Duel me, Yugi! For I am the richest ...most powerful...!" the students cracked up, gasping and shrieking, rolling around on the stage with laughter.

Yami clenched his fists even tighter. He wanted to leave. It wasn't that Kaiba's company was wearing him out. It was everything and everyone else.

Kaiba glanced over his shoulder and sighed. There were a total of four teens left over from the crowd, three were dramatically fainting on the platform, and one male in the front row, filming them enthusiastically.

Kaiba toted the flowers up over his shoulder, watching as a few petals fell off and landed on the floor beside Yami's shoes. Yami deliberately crushed the petal beneath his shoe, feeling vindictive.

Kaiba's eyes widened as he watched Yami scrape his shoe viciously over the petal and he realized Yami was probably feeling jealous.

Ah, that's not a good feeling now is it? Kaiba thought gleefully, nudging Yami with his elbow slightly, leaning the flowers back down towards his face. "Wanna throw these?"

Yami looked up, confused, "Throw..them..where?"

"At them." Kaiba said, grinning widely and pointing at the rowdy group of students on the stage, still playacting as Kaiba and Yugi. Yami even heard Joey's name echoing up there somewhere.

"It won't hurt them," Kaiba continued ruefully, "They'd probably wet themselves though. That would be fun to see."

"I agree." Yami said savagely, his face burning with emotion, "Let's get closer so you'll have a better shot."

"Me?" Kaiba asked, feigning surprise, "I was thinking you should be the one to do it."

Yami gave him a funny look, "It's your idea."

"And you're my accomplice, whether you like it or not," Kaiba said, his blue eyes flashing, "Now here." He quickly untied the plastic around the flowers, the loud rustling of the plastic caused the students on the stage to pause in their antics.

"Shshh..do you guy's hear that?" the guy said hoarsely, "Guys, ...guys SHUT UP!" He yelled at his three friends on the stage and they all stopped to stare at him.

"What? Don't stop filming..! We were just getting-"

"I said shut up!" the guy yelled, "I heard someone back there..!"

There was a long silence as the teens all stared at each other nervously.

"This stage is open to everyone, it's not like, off limits." one of the girls said, looking over at her friends, who all nodded back at her in agreement.

Kaiba ran his fingers through the wet stems of the flowers and handed Yami half. Yami accepted them from Kaiba, feeling strangely lightheaded. What exactly were they doing? Kaiba stepped forwards right up against the steps of the stage, making sure to stay low, and he gestured for Yami to do the same.

Yami rushed over and knelt by the edge of the stage, his nose almost touching one of the steps. Kaiba's gaze was sparkling playfully at him from over the stairs and Yami felt himself heat up unwittingly.

"Okay it was nothing." the guy said, sighing, "Sorry, sorry! Continue!"

"Geez," the girl closest to them on the stage spoke up, "Buzz kill."

Kaiba nodded at Yami and whispered fervently, "Quick, throw a flower."

Yami nodded and nervously separated one flower from his half-bouquet and threw a large sunflower, stem first, onto the stage.

There was a bout of loud, shrill screams and the sound of rumbling footsteps scattering across the stage.

"More, More!" Kaiba cried gleefully, shooting his flowers carefully over his head, a few petals landing in his hair.

Yami let out a joyful laugh as he also tossed his flowers over his head, one by one, watching them soar in an arch over his head and landing with a soft thunk onto the stage.

"Ohmygod Ohmygod where are those flowers coming from?! Are you seeing this?!" The girls shrieked at each other, clearly distressed. "Who is there?! Why are you throwing flowers?!"

"BEWARE POLTERGEIST! I AM FILMING ALL OF THIS!" The male friend cried, his voice rising shrilly, echoing around the empty stage, "GHOSTS IN THE AUDITORIUM! "

Kaiba pointed upwards and smirked, whispering, "Want to leave? Or do you want to let them know it was us?"

"And give the credit to ghosts?" Yami snorted, tossing his blond bangs out of his eyes.

Kaiba let out a light laugh and it echoed up and down the empty platform. He stood smoothly, reaching over the step to offer Yami a hand up. Yami slipped his hand warmly into Kaiba's, dusting his knees off gently as he stood up as well.

The students stood very, very still, staring at Yami and Kaiba, their jaws on the floor. The male dropped his camera with a loud clatter.

Kaiba waved, and Yami followed suit, smiling widely.

"Good skit." Kaiba said, smirking, watching as one of the girls grabbed her friend tightly, swaying dangerously on the spot.

"OHMYGOD! The elusive...Yami." One of the girls gasped, and Yami felt his chest tighten.

"That is him right?" The girl elbowed her male friend who was staring intently at Yami, his eyes never leaving his face.

Kaiba looked down at Yami and squeezed his hand gently, "Oh look, you have fans."

Fans? Yami couldn't breathe or find his voice to speak. He'd always assumed people were preferential towards Yugi, after all he was always much friendlier.

"Get..paper. GET PAPER!" The girls yelled, pulling at their hair and rushing to the foot of the stage where their bags lay unattended.

"Now we can leave." Kaiba said, smiling gently at Yami. Yami didn't hear him. All he could see was the three girls shoving their way over towards him with their notebooks out in front of them. They hovered nervously above Yami on the platform, their knuckles white as they gripped the edges of their books.

"You could..won't you please?" One of the girls choked, "Yours is the only one I'm missing."

Yami tilted his head curiously, wondering what she meant by missing. Did that mean, his signature was part of their collection of sorts?!

"Same..here." Her friend gasped, tucking her hair behind her ear, staring nervously at Kaiba.

Yami felt Kaiba let go his hand and place it on the small of his back, pushing him forwards slightly towards the edge of the step. The girls backed away respectfully, giving him space to walk up onto the stage.

Yami felt his throat constrict, suddenly regretting his decision, but Kaiba's warm hand on his back held him steady as he walked up onto the platform. He felt his heels click hollowly across the wooden panels, secretly glad that Kaiba followed him up the steps, his reassuring hand still firmly pressed against the small of his back.

"Oh thank you... _thank you!"_ the girl whispered as Yami carefully accepted the notebook and pen from her, noting that it was slightly damp from being clutched so tightly in her hands. He signed the page boldly with a practiced hand.

Yugi had always told him to practice signing whenever he had nothing to do while sitting alone in the game shop, and Yami was extremely thankful for every second he'd spent practicing his signature.

Kaiba watched Yami, slightly impressed. So, Yami did have a signature...how elegant, Kaiba thought as he eyed the notebook paper when Yami handed it back.

"Please...here's mine! Thank you!" The other girl squeaked, almost dropping the notebook in her haste, "A-And..could you make it out to my sister? Her name is Anne! With an.."e" if-if it's not too much trouble."

Anne with an E? Kaiba thought faintly. Couldn't be, maybe, the girl he had hired on the spot at the boutique? Small world?

"Does your sister work at a boutique?" Kaiba asked, unable to stop himself.

"U-um..sh-she works for you..?" The girl whispered. "But yes, she did work at a boutique..! How did you know? She says she's never met you..!"

Yami finished his second signature and handed it back, realizing the girl was still staring at Kaiba. Typical Kaiba, Yami thought, he keeps close tabs on all his employees, no matter how insignificant.

"Doesn't mean I don't know who she is." Kaiba said shortly, a strange wave of gratitude washed over him as he realized he had chosen well. Anne had not disclosed details of their encounter at the boutique when he'd went in was dressed as Hiro.

Kaiba prayed she wouldn't say anything further, and was saved by Yami, handing her the notebook back and she looked absolutely ecstatic.

"Thank you Yami, thank you! Your handwriting is so beautiful, she's going to frame this on her desk ...for sure!"

"I don't need anything fancy," the third girl mumbled, elbowing her friend aside and holding up the notebook over her face, shy, "Just...your...the.."

Yami noticed this fan could barely look him in the eye, and what's more, she had one of the flowers they'd tossed, tucked behind her ear.

Yami lifted the notebook from her grasp gently and signed his name a third time, adding the special touches to the individual characters of his name the way Yugi suggested he do whenever he was approached by a shy fan.

 _"Usually those are the fans who are the most intense, if you know what I mean..."_ Yugi's voice echoed in his mind as he handed the notebook back to her _._

No he didn't know what Yugi meant, but he was about to see for himself now. Yami felt Kaiba's hand press into his back reassuringly again as the girls crowded around their friend. The girl took one look at her notebook and almost fainted, stumbling back slightly and then rushing forwards again, almost too close, "T-Thank you!" She gasped, bowing politely, ducking her head down so low, her long black hair hung like a curtain over her extremely red face.

Kaiba smiled, amused. "Will that be all, ladies? We've got somewhere to be."

The girls stared down at their notebooks and back up at Yami, almost ignoring Kaiba, "Yes, yes. Thank you Yami, thank you!" they squealed, gripping each other tightly. Kaiba glanced over and addressed the boy who was standing starstruck at the edge of the stage, "Are we good?"

The boy blinked at Kaiba, and spoke slowly, "Can I..post this on my blog? Will you sue me if I post this footage online?"

Yami felt a laugh bubble up in his chest. Did people really think Kaiba was that vindictive..?

"I don't know." Kaiba commented, glancing down at Yami, "Should we sue him?"

Yami smiled heartily at the boy, "I think you'll be fine."

The boy sat down suddenly, the tops of his head barely visible over the edge of the stage as his muffled voice traveled up from over the side, "Oh...wow. Thank you."

"I think he died." One of the girls said, and her friends laughed merrily.

Kaiba stepped down from the stage and gripped Yami tightly by the wrist, "Watch your step."

"I know how to walk down steps." Yami said indignantly. He heard several giggles behind him and a chorus of "byes".

Yami waved heartily at the girls behind him, feeling his spirits soar.

Kaiba quickly walked towards the back entrance, pulling Yami firmly behind him.

"I can walk..Kaiba." Yami said lightly.

"I know." Kaiba responded, "We're going to wardrobe. Like I said, I have something there. Staff is probably annoyed I'm taking so long to get to it."

Their footsteps echoed down a long hallway and Kaiba made a sudden left at a maroon door. He knocked firmly twice and to Yami's surprise, Isono opened the door.

"Ah, Mr. Kaiba..!" Isono exclaimed, pulling the door open widely, "We've been waiting."

Kaiba nodded and stepped into the room, keeping Yami close behind him.

Yami stifled a gasp as his eyes roamed around the room, taking in the long table laden with mini sandwiches, sparking fresh fruit, cheese, and crackers. Several groups of purple shirt staff members were standing around the room in small circles, gossiping and laughing happily.

They all turned and began applauding when Kaiba stepped into the room. Kaiba raised a hand politely, "Thank you. I'm sorry we took a while. We ran into some of Yami's fans."

Kaiba turned to smile dazzlingly at Yami and Yami swallowed, feeling himself nod. Was Kaiba ...apologizing for their lateness on his behalf?! How strange!

Isono coughed lightly, "Perhaps, Mr. Kaiba, several staff members were wondering if they could have your autograph quickly before you leave."

"Of course." Kaiba smiled widely, sweeping his gaze around the room at the shocked expression of the staff members. "One moment, right after I get out of the dressing room."

The staff members nodded at him appreciatively and turned back to chatter in their circles.

Yami felt Kaiba let go of his hand and watched as he disappeared through another door, with Isono following closely behind. He was left standing alone by the doorway, and Yami began to feel nervous all over again.

"Please come in, and close the door behind you, Mr. Mutou," One of the staff members closest to him spoke up. Yami obliged, feeling the room grow quieter and quieter as everyone tried not to stare at him.

Yami felt himself sweat slightly. Was Kaiba going to be coming back soon?

"It's nice to have you here with us." Another staff worker spoke up, gesturing towards the table, "Help yourself!"

Yami nodded stiffly and didn't move from his spot by the door, "Thank you." As soon as he saw the sandwiches, he was instantly reminded of Hiro. Was he going to be late?

Yami checked his phone frantically and realized it was 3:45! He said he would be at the cafe at 3! At this rate he was going to show up an hour late! Had Hiro been waiting long? Yami checked his messages quickly, and frowned when he noticed Hiro hadn't even read the message he sent earlier.

Yami quickly typed out another message, "I'm sorry, looks like I will be running a bit late, please wait for me!" and he sent it.

Suddenly, Kaiba came striding out into the room, wearing a red dress shirt over a pair of white form-fitting trousers. The staff members sprung into action and rushed to surround him with their pens and papers.

Yami stared at the corner of Kaiba's collar, his gaze traveling down the two open buttons curving down into a deep 'V' across his muscular chest. How did Kaiba manage to look like a magazine ad with everything he wore? It looked as if Kaiba had been bred for the cameras. His skin was always flawless, his every hair always in place, his posture, impeccable. Yami couldn't take it anymore. Seeing everyone flock Kaiba for the third time today was becoming hard to watch.

He carefully backed into the door, feeling for the handle behind his back, gripping it tightly as he quietly leaned on it downwards and exited the room, unnoticed.

Yami stood against the opposite wall in the hallway, glaring at the red door. Every time he felt like he had connected with Kaiba, something always drove them apart, and it was becoming increasingly more and more frustrating. He gripped his phone, staring at the row of messages he had sent to Hiro, willing his eyes to stay dry.

Perhaps he ought to leave now. Was Hiro already there? Why hadn't he answered any of the texts?

Yami heard the door handle click and turn suddenly as Kaiba strode out of the room, looking frantic.

"Oh, there you are." Kaiba said, looking extremely relieved. "I was thinking it was about time we left."

I couldn't agree more, Yami thought privately. He shook his head and gestured back towards the door. "Kaiba, I'll be fine. You're clearly needed here."

Kaiba blinked and paused, pointedly ignoring his comment, "Yeah, we're leaving. Let's go."

Yami frowned as Kaiba once again grabbed his wrist lightly and pulled him forwards into step with him.

"Kaiba!" Yami wrenched his hand out from Kaiba's grasp, feeling his slender fingers slip off his wrist, "You don't need to come with me..!"

The last thing he wanted was for Kaiba to meet Hiro, let alone, have Kaiba figure out that he was going to meet up with Hiro.

 _Oh yes, yes I do need to come with you!_ Kaiba thought viciously, struggling to keep his face emotionless, "I'll take you where you need to go." Which is, to the cafe, to meet Hiro, who is me. So we will be going to the cafe, together, Kaiba concluded to himself firmly, once again reaching his hand out to Yami.

"I..I'm not sure that would be such a good idea." Yami replied lamely, gripping his own wrist tightly, the warmth from Kaiba's hand was making his heart beat too quickly.

"Why not?" Kaiba asked impatiently, glancing down at the stairwell. They were so close to the parking lot! So close, if Yami would only cooperate with him a little bit..more!

"Because..I'm meeting a friend." Yami said, struggling to keep his voice steady.

"Then we will wait together." Kaiba said, nodding stiffly. "Are you in a hurry?"

"S-Slightly." Yami paled, realizing it was probably almost 4:15 now. He had never been so late to anything before in his life.

I'll bet, Kaiba thought viciously before saying, "I'll drive quickly, please accept the ride from me."

Yami hesitated before nodding slowly, "Thank you."

Kaiba's mouth went dry as he smiled at Yami, relieved, "Let's go." And he hurried down the steps, his footsteps echoing loudly around in the stairwell as Yami followed closely behind him. They reached the bottom corner of the stairs and Kaiba shouldered a heavy door open, the hot afternoon sun leaked in through the top and Yami squinted, his eyes stinging at the sudden brightness.

Kaiba led him over to a car Yami had never seen before, pulling the door open for him before circling around and tucking himself into the driver's seat.

Yami felt the breath leave his body as he watched the sun glisten across the body of Kaiba's angular white car, paired tastefully with a dark red interior. He could faintly make out Kaiba gesturing for him to get in through the dark windshield, and Yami snapped out of it, hurrying forwards and climbing in.

He watched as Kaiba started the engine with a powerful roar and they peeled out of the parking lot, the tires sliding roughly across the pavement.

Yami tucked his hands under his knees and glanced out the window, watching the scenery fly by. It occurred to him that he hadn't told Kaiba where they were going, and he spoke up over the roar of the engine, "There's a small cafe, a few blocks down from the game shop, that's where I need to go."

Kaiba nodded just barely and Yami's gaze lingered over the edges of Kaiba's collarbones peeking out from beneath his red dress shirt. Shifting in his seat uneasily, Yami pulled out his phone to check it for messages. Nothing. Not a missed call, not even a text.

Yami slid his thumb across Hiro's name and hit the call button. He held the phone up to his ear, expecting to hear ringing, but instead, was immediately met with the voicemail. Frowning, Yami stared at the screen, hanging up moodily.

Kaiba watched Yami carefully out from the corner of his eye, "What's wrong?"

"He's not...picking up." Yami said faintly, his mind racing. Was Hiro asleep again? He had agreed to meet up yesterday! Did something happen?

Kaiba pulled into the parking lot in front of the small cafe and watched as Yami climbed out of the car without a word or glance towards him.

 _Hiro's not here_ , Kaiba thought darkly, _Yami, you should just give it up. Hiro won't return your feelings, he's not real._

Yami rushed into the cafe and glanced around, his heart racing painfully in his chest, his eyes roaming over the tops of the booths looking for a familiar crop of black hair.

The woman behind the counter nodded politely at him, "Dine in, or take out?"

Yami approached her and bowed his head apologetically, "I'm sorry, was there a man here earlier? A tall man, with black hair..." Yami paused as he realized how generic that description sounded.

"Was he ..with... woman?" the woman responded in broken Japanese.

"Was..he?" Yami asked, his breath catching tightly in his throat.

The lady shook her head, "I ask you, is he alone or with woman? Many men come in. Many men go."

"Alone." Yami said, feeling like bursting out into tears right on the spot.

"Sorry, no. Many black hair men come in with woman." The woman said gently, her eyes lighting up as she saw Kaiba step into the shop behind Yami, "Dine in or take out, handsome sir?"

Kaiba looked around the cafe, pretending to also look for Hiro. "Dine in." He said slowly and he nodded at Yami, "For two."

Yami shook his head, "Kaiba, you don't have to stay."

Kaiba wasn't listening, he was already following the woman over to an empty booth. The woman stood by the table and gestured for Yami to enter the dining area. Yami walked over the booth and sat down across from Kaiba, feeling numb all over.

Where was Hiro?! It had been almost two hours now...!

"Coffee? Tea?" The woman asked excitedly, setting a couple of menus down onto the table.

"Tea, please." Kaiba said, smiling up at her brightly, "What is the house favorite?"

The woman was dazzled, "Rose-hip..green tea." she said, hiccuping slightly from nervousness.

"We'll have that," Kaiba said, nodding, knowing Yami enjoyed sweet drinks. "And a few of your dessert sandwiches. They look great in the display case over there."

The woman blushed deeply and bowed, "Yes, thank you! Still need menus?"

"We'll keep one." Kaiba said smoothly, sliding one over to Yami and handing the spare one back into the woman's outstretched hand, "Thank you."

"N-no thank..you!" She cried happily, scurrying away.

Yami sullenly watched the exchange between Kaiba and the waitress, his shoulders heavy with worry and doubt.

 _Kaiba is being charming, as usual_ , Yami thought dully, _it really is like a switch. One second, charming and inviting. Another second, cold and calculating._

Kaiba folded his hands over his face, obscuring his mouth, staring at Yami from across the table, watching him sigh and gaze out the window, undoubtedly searching for Hiro.

I am. right. here. Kaiba thought viciously, setting his teeth firmly. Look at me!

It was almost like he was telepathic, because Yami turned in that moment, to look directly into Kaiba's eyes.

"Kaiba, you know who Hiro is." Yami's tone was dark and accusatory.

 _Oh, here it comes_ , Kaiba braced himself as he carefully answered Yami's question,"I may know him."

 _I AM him_ , Kaiba growled, _maybe if you looked in front of you for once, instead of out the goddamn window._

"So you must know that his family is under your employ." Yami continued, his accusatory tone becoming more and more threatening.

Kaiba chose to stay silent and just nod, watching Yami grow increasingly more agitated.

Their waitress returned and she set a large glass teapot with an enormous flower floating beautifully in the center, hugging the bottom of the glass. "Rose-hip green tea, careful hot!" she chirped, setting two porcelain cups down onto the table and hurrying away.

Yami stared at the flower in the center of the teapot, feeling conflicted. Why was everything always so beautiful and perfect whenever he was out with Kaiba, and now suddenly, Hiro vanished into thin air? It was too fishy. It was almost as if Kaiba could be intentionally sabotaging his time with Hiro...

Yami raised his head to glare at Kaiba from across the table. He wouldn't put it past Kaiba not to do something like that. Yami knew that Kaiba was a very driven man, who would do anything, at all costs, to get what he wanted...to a dangerous extent.

Kaiba gripped the teapot carefully and evenly poured the hot liquid out into the elegant white cups, noting that the water was slightly pink due to the tint from the flower.

"Look, it's pretty, isn't it?" Kaiba said delicately, pushing a tea cup across the table towards Yami who was glaring ferociously at him.

"Answer my question." Yami said darkly, his hands hidden underneath the table.

Kaiba sipped his tea lightly, the rose flavor almost stung his nose with it's sweetness, "I nodded. That means yes."

"Did you...take his phone?" Yami said, eyeing Kaiba carefully, watching his every expression. If Kaiba so much as twitched an eyelid, he wouldn't miss it.

"Who would do such a thing." Kaiba said smoothly, keeping himself expressionless. He was in trouble, definitely.

"You would." Yami said cynically, "He was using one of your newest phones."

"I don't take things back when I give them away." Kaiba said roughly, gripping the cup tightly, feeling the heat seep through the thin porcelain, burning his fingertips, but he didn't let go. The pain was keeping him sane. He knew what Yami was insinuating, and he wasn't sure if he could take it.

"Right." Yami laughed sardonically, a terrible sound that made Kaiba's hair stand on end, "Just like how every time, I want to see him, something terrible happens. You know, I have a feeling, you were the one who called security on me. And don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about."

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba asked emptily, eyeing Yami steadily, his heart racing a thousand beats per minute. He had a bad feeling about where this conversation was headed and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"You can't be serious." Yami said, sounding disgusted. "That was something only you would do, and I know this for a fact."

"You think you know me well?" Kaiba asked, voice trembling as his temper rose.

"Yes." Yami said firmly. "And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. You know everything about Hiro, probably a lot more than I do. And with this information, you use it to drive us apart."

"You ..have. no. proof." Kaiba said through clenched teeth, setting the teacup down heavily with a cold clink.

"I don't need...proof." Yami spat, "It's all been happening already. I saw him every day, at the exact same time, yet somehow, now, I'm not able to. I message him frequently, and he would respond, no matter the time of day or how busy he was. He would even call me back. Now, suddenly..." Yami paused to take a breath as it was becoming difficult to talk.

He was trembling and shaking so hard. It was all making too much sense and it was beginning to hurt him deeply. Yami knew Kaiba cared about him, and that Kaiba saw Hiro as an obstacle, but this behavior ...was despicable!

Kaiba leaned back in his seat, watching Yami piece together his lies as fear and dread swirled around in his chest. This was... _very_ bad.

"Now, I'm blocked at every turn, and who do I see, every time I look around?" Yami asked, shaking with rage, "You. Kaiba."

"How is that a bad thing...?" Kaiba responded blandly, extremely glad that the cafe was deserted.

"Perhaps, for you, it's not a bad thing." Yami sniffed, "But I know you're keeping Hiro away from me. You're trying to erase him. You have the means to do it and also... just because you can. I know you can. And that's so dishonorable of you, Kaiba."

Kaiba lowered his head and stared down into the tea, realizing that the waitress wasn't going to come over with their food because they were so obviously fighting.

"That's ..dishonorable, of me." Kaiba repeated, biting back a delirious laugh. "You don't know the first thing about Hiro, and yet here you are, clearly angry at me, because he stood you up! How is that my fault? I make myself available for you, is that a crime?"

Yami clenched his teeth and glared at Kaiba, too angry to speak. Kaiba was retaliating with, what sounded like, well-planned _lies!_

"I am never going to see you again." Yami said slowly, feeling himself relax suddenly as his mind cleared. There was a way to deal with Kaiba, and this was how.

Kaiba blinked rapidly at Yami, who was staring at him coolly from across the table, looking calm and collected, "Wh-what?" His heart skipped a few beats.

"I am never. going to see you. again." Yami enunciated, standing up smoothly, "Until, Hiro _magically_ reappears in my life, you and I are nothing. We are not friends, we are not enemies. You are nothing to me, Kaiba. Do you understand?"

Kaiba's mouth went dry as he stared at Yami, who was standing before him, looking angrier than he had ever seen him.

"And since, you said you don't take back gifts," Yami spat, holding up his phone, "I'll be keeping this, thank you very much."

Kaiba slowly closed his eyes and opened them. Yami was still standing before him, livid as fuck. This was not a dream. How could he have fucked things up this badly? Weren't they just kissing backstage a few hours ago? Did that even happen? Was that real? Or was this a dream?

"Do as you like." Were the words that came out of his own mouth, and Kaiba watched as Yami stormed out of the cafe.

 _Wonderful_ , Kaiba thought bitterly, his eyes blurring at the corners. _I have just fucked every chance I've ever had with Yami._

The waitress cautiously approached the table and set a small box onto the table quietly along with the check and she tiptoed away.

Kaiba stared and stared at the bill, the black rims of the check tray was beginning to blur violently, and Kaiba blinked, feeling a hot tear curl down his cheek.

 _Wow,_ Kaiba thought sarcastically, quickly palming the tear off his face, _That's amazing. I've somehow managed to get myself blacklisted and rejected all in the same day._

He slipped out several large bills and left a generous tip. He stood quickly, taking several deep breaths, composing himself.

He crossed the cafe in a few long strides and slipped out the exit, feeling the waitress's gaze on his back.

Kaiba pressed the keys on his car and was about to step off the curb when he heard a familiar voice call out to him, "Prince!" accompanied by the loud bark of a dog.

Kaiba blinked and blinked, willing his eyes to stay dry and clear. Suddenly, the little girl from the bento restaurant ran into him, hugging his legs tightly while a large, fluffy white dog bounded excitedly around them in circles, occasionally nudging and licking Kaiba's tightly clenched fist.

"Adrianne!" A shrill voice came from up the sidewalk, and Kaiba was surprised to see one of Mokuba's nannies. It seemed like the shop owner took his advice after all, and it was...working?

Kaiba knelt down at her and patted her gently on the head, "Hi Adrianne." he said softly, gazing deeply into her large, brown eyes.

"You colored your hair brown!" She cried excitedly, lifting up his bangs with her tiny fists. "This looks better, Prince! You look more royal with brown hair! Like Cinderella's prince charming!"

"Adrianne come here, don't do that! Don't touch strangers like that, that is rude! Oh..!" The nanny stopped in her tracks and bobbed her head politely, "M-Mr. Kaiba!"

"We're not strangers, we're friends! He's my prince!" the little girl cried, gripping Kaiba's shoulders tightly as the dog tried to lick Kaiba's face. Kaiba glanced at the dog, looking for a tag. He found none and his skin began to crawl. Was this...Mei?!

"Do you like my new pet? Do we look like a princess and their pet?" The four-year-old asked, stroking the dog's head softly with her chubby little hands. The dog licked her hands wetly and the nanny dragged the dog away on the leash.

Kaiba straightened up, addressing the nanny, "Where did you find her?"

The nanny adjusted her purse on her shoulder, looking tired and harassed, "We just... found her, Mr. Kaiba. She just wandered into the dumpster area of the restaurant where her father works."

The purse slipped off her shoulder slightly when she realized Kaiba knew the gender of the dog, "Y-you know it is a 'her'...Mr. Kaiba?"

"Yes," Kaiba sighed and pinched his brow, "Let me guess, badly trained, only eats sweets, barks a lot at strangers..." he frowned, trying to remember more of Mei's bad behavior. "Oh, and she frequently chews through her leash ..."

"Oh my goodness," the nanny nodded, gasping, "She's been through about five leashes. She might need a chain at this rate, but that's unsightly."

Wow, it is Mei! Kaiba thought excitedly as the nanny gasped again, "Mr. Kaiba, is she _your_ dog?! We're so sorry!" She quickly pressed the leash into Kaiba's hand without a second thought and Kaiba felt the leash tug strongly as the dog circled his legs, sniffing and licking his other hand.

"Oh.. my! Would you look at that! She is, isn't she?!" The nanny exclaimed, "Adrienne, this dog belongs to Seto Kaiba! We can't keep her!"

"Wh-at?" The girl looked up at Kaiba with large, wet eyes, "The doggie is yours?"

"She's..." _not mine, but I do know the owners,_ Kaiba thought privately as he nodded, not wanting to complicate things further.

"Ohh.." Adrienne's shoulder sagged heavily with sadness, "I like her."

"Maybe, get a smaller dog." Kaiba said gently, "I'll stop by and see you sometime again, okay?"

She looked up at him, looking visibly happier, "You promise?! PINKY!"

Kaiba lowered his slender pinky and felt her tiny finger hook through his tightly.

"Hug!" she demanded, lifting her arms up at him.

"No, Adrienne!" the nanny gasped, shaken and embarrassed. Kaiba ducked down to the girl's level and smiled reassuringly at the nanny.

"There we go." He said softly, pulling the girl into a gentle embrace.

"Prince!" The girl cried, her arms tightening painfully around Kaiba's neck, "Please take care of my royal doggie!"

Kaiba nodded and released her, watching her run back to the nanny's side. The nanny reached down with an iron grip and held the girl still beside her. "Mr. Kaiba, we're so sorry for the trouble. I also apologize for her calling you names."

Kaiba opened the passenger car door and tied the leash around the headrest of the seat. He shut the door quickly and straightened up, "No trouble at all. Thank you for finding Mei."

"You're welcome...May!" Adrienne exclaimed, "Pretty name!"

Kaiba nodded and circled the car, hearing the dog's bark muffled from behind the windshield. He tucked himself into the driver's seat and drove off, watching the nanny and the girl wave at him as he disappeared around the corner.

* * *

**Author's note:**

I know the cut-off for this chapter might make you mad! But please have patience for these boys!  
_**2 more chapters left!** **A happy end is near!**_

Thank you for your edits Seket!

.

**-Next chapter preview-**

Yami carefully turned the doorknob and pulled the door open, peering outside.

Kaiba had left.

He looked down and found an odd bundle of flowers laying on the ground, wrapped in sheer pink plastic, and a note in Kaiba's handwriting.

Yami felt his eyelid twitch and he picked it up, quickly ducking back inside and shutting the door carefully behind him.

He made his way over to the kitchen counter and threw the flowers down onto the surface roughly, it's light floral scent assaulting his senses as he read thin handwriting on the note.

_"These are the hybrids of those flowers you really like._

_-Seto"_

Seto huh? Yami thought irritably, peeling back the pink plastic, catching a glimpse of several brown twisted stems rolled up in a tight bundle. What flowers are these...?

He peeled the plastic back further and suddenly, a flurry of pink petals snowed down from the counter and floated gently onto the ground around his feet.

The air began closing around him tightly and Yami struggled to draw his next breath. These were...the flowers...Hiro had taken him to go see!


	16. if your love could reach me, because

Yami stormed back into the game shop, slamming the door heavily.

Yugi was sitting behind the counter, his arms crossed, looking annoyed. Anzu was standing beside him, looking at Yami with a strange expression.

"Are you okay?" Yugi asked uncertainly, lowering his arms down to his sides carefully.

Yami was shaking and breathing heavily, too angry, too hurt to hear anything anyone said. He strode past Yugi and peeled his shoes off, ignoring Anzu's pointed stare. He stepped into the house and stalked up the stairs, shutting the door firmly.

Yami slid down onto the floor as hot tears began to blur in his vision. He ran through the day's events in his head, lingering over Kaiba's charming smile, the way his lips had felt, and then.. to the fight at the cafe.

Shaking, he pulled out his phone and hit the call button under Hiro's name. He held phone up to his ear and listened as the robotic voice on the other end answered him, "This caller has not set up their voicemail box yet..."

Yami hung up and stared down at his screen. He couldn't even leave a message. What was going on? His texts weren't being received, and his calls were being blocked. The only thing he could think of was either something terrible had happened, or Kaiba had confiscated the phone.

Yami leaned his head back onto the door, feeling an overwhelming sense of despair as he recalled Kaiba's cold expression when he had accused him of taking Hiro's phone.

Yami felt himself tense angrily again. Kaiba was definitely lying! Kaiba would never take an accusation like that so lightly. He didn't even retaliate! He had just sat there, very still, staring.

His phone buzzed. He looked down and realized it was a text message from Kaiba.

_"Yami, I'm asking..."_

Yami clicked his phone off angrily. He wasn't going to read it. Anything Kaiba was saying to him was only going to push him further away from Hiro.

There was a soft knock behind him and Anzu's voice came drifting out from behind the door, "Yami...open up please?"

Yami stood numbly and pulled the door back, "Anzu."

"Did something happen?" She asked softly. Yugi was standing a little ways behind her, looking worried. "Let us in and tell us what happened."

Yami nodded and drew the door back shakily, letting Anzu and Yugi step past him and into the room he shared with Yugi. He heard them rustling behind him, making themselves comfortable as he shut the door, staring at the handle moodily.

"Yami..?" Yugi asked hesitantly, "Come..sit here!" He patted the seat next to himself on the bed and Anzu stood to sit behind Yugi's desk instead.

Yami dragged his feet across the carpet and sat himself heavily down beside Yugi, staring at his trembling hands which gripped his phone tightly. It buzzed again and Yami silenced it off with an angry click.

Dead air hung in the room for a long while before Yugi spoke up first, his voice firm. "I know you want to confess to Hiro."

Yami nodded quietly and said nothing, staring at the deep curve along the phone's edge. Kaiba's logo gleamed tauntingly back at him .

"So...when do you think you'll see him again?" Yugi asked lightly, eyeing Anzu uncertainly. Anzu crossed and uncrossed her legs as she leaned an arm over the back of Yugi's desk chair.

Yami still didn't say anything. He was going to respond with, "Tomorrow," but he wasn't even sure if that was a good idea. If Kaiba was feeling particularly vindictive, security could very well come for him a second time.

Either way, going near the bakery again was going to be difficult. Yami tried to swallow the lump in his throat that was steadily rising higher and higher.

"I think you should give it some more thought." Anzu said, examining her nails lightly. "You're not going to class for the next few days due to this...security fiasco, so maybe just...hang out for a bit, and see what you want to do."

Yugi reached over and placed a warm hand on Yami's hand, "I agree. We're going go-karting this weekend. Do you want to come?"

Yami shook his head stiffly. No, he didn't want to go anywhere. He wanted to see Hiro to make sure he was okay. If Hiro had a run-in with Kaiba, he could be in danger.

That could explain why his phone was now always off. That could also explain why Hiro looked so ashamed when Yami walked past with security.

That thought made Yami's eyes burn even more as he blinked and blinked, trying to keep himself composed.

Should he warn his friends?

Yami glanced up, looking over at Anzu who was casually examining her nails, and at Yugi beside him, who wore a worried frown.

"Kaiba...may have had something to do with the security incident yesterday." Yami said slowly, aiming his gaze back down a the carpet as he kicked his foot out moodily.

"What?!" Yugi and Anzu exclaimed in unison, exchanging angry looks.

"Well, I don't know for _certain_ ," Yami said heavily, sighing, "But it was a feeling I got, when I spoke with Kaiba today."

"I see." Anzu said coldly, giving Yugi a look. "Anything else?"

Yami shook his head, willing his eyes to stay dry in the presence of his friends, "I would like to be alone, please."

"Okay." Anzu said lightly, "I guess, we'll go then...and leave you alone."

Yugi nodded and lifted his hands away from Yami's.

Yami felt the warmth from Yugi's hands evaporate quickly. He felt cold all over.

Anzu and Yugi exited the room, quietly closing the door behind them and Yami leaned back down on the bed, feeling the mattress sink down beneath him. He closed his eyes and felt his eyelids burn.

There was something off about all of this. He was missing something. If Kaiba knew as much as he did about Hiro, then he had probably offered Hiro something enticing.

Yami rolled over on the bed, kicking his shoes off angrily.

 _Hiro would never do that! Hiro would never betray my trust like that..!_ Yami thought furiously as he palmed his face and felt his frustration building up higher and higher.

This was all Kaiba's fault.  
No, it was his own fault, for indulging Kaiba, while he was actively interested in Hiro. Now, Hiro had suffered the consequences from his thoughtless actions.

Yami sighed, shutting his eyes and drifting off into a restless sleep, with one hand tightly clutching his phone.

* * *

Kaiba stopped at a red light, while actively trying to push Mei back down into the seat as she barked loudly in his ear, trying to lick his fingers.

"Sit..down!" Kaiba hissed, placing a strong hand on her fluffy back and applying pressure. This car was too cramped for a large dog like her and he still hadn't decided what he wanted to do with her yet.

The light turned green and Kaiba pulled forwards gently, being careful to restrain Mei as she padded around on her seat excitedly and barked again. He needed a place to keep her where it wouldn't immediately raise suspicion.

He couldn't keep her at the mansion; he didn't know how friendly she would be towards Mokuba. He couldn't leave her at Hiro's apartment; she would be unsupervised, and if Yami stopped by, he would hear her barks through the door.

Kaiba pulled past another green light and realized he had just passed the university. He quickly doubled back around, gripping the wheel tightly as he eased the car into a turn.

He was going to return her, right now, and this was going to work in his favor.

He carefully pulled into the employee parking space behind the bakery and he gave Mei a solid rub across the top of her head.

"You're going home." Kaiba said hollowly, watching her nails clack against the window as she clambered excitedly by the door. She seemed to know where she was.

Kaiba slowly exited the car and pulled the passenger door open, allowing her to jump down off the seat. He unhooked the leash from around the headrest and slammed the door.

She barked at him again and Kaiba felt his stomach churning with uncertainty at what he was about to do.

Kaiba led her down the alleyway and paused at the employee entrance, staring at the swirly chocolate font. He felt Mei tugging him down the alleyway, so he let her, watching her pant excitedly as she leaned her gigantic paws against the glass doors of the bakery

A small "Closed" sign was hung across the doors but Kaiba saw a movement from beyond the kitchen doors as Mei barked twice, her wagging tail hitting against his leg almost painfully.

Kaiba saw June rush out of the kitchen and stand behind the counter, staring at him, her face twisted into a look of absolute shock.

Jason followed, with a towel in hand, which he promptly dropped when he saw Kaiba standing by the door, holding tightly onto Mei's leash.

Kaiba stepped forwards and knocked twice on the glass. He had half the mind to loop the leash around the handles of the door and get the hell out of there, but he stood his ground. He had something he needed to do.

Jason and June rushed forwards, almost elbowing each other as they both scrambled to unlock the door for him.

"Mei!" June gasped, squeezing her way out past her uncle as he pulled the door open, still gawking at Kaiba.

Kaiba let go of the leash and Mei stood up on her hind legs, happily pawing at June.

Kaiba watched, trying to keep the emotion from showing on his face. He could feel Jason's eyes roaming across his face, picking his appearance apart piece by piece; his gaze sweeping over his pressed shirt and down across his belt which loudly bore his silver "KC" logo.

Kaiba felt himself sweat as he steadily met Jason's gaze. Apart from Yami, Jason was the only other person who saw him up-close, and daily. He wondered if Jason had put two and two together yet, and if would he actually have the nerve to address him as Hiro.

"Welcome in." Was all he said, and he stepped back to let Kaiba in.

Kaiba stood very still, right at the edge of the door, unmoving.

June raised her head, staring at her uncle, who had his eyes narrowed suspiciously at Kaiba.

She squeaked and stood suddenly, ducking her head down respectfully, "I'm sorry I forgot my manners! Thank you! For finding Mei, Mr. Kaiba, and it's so nice to finally meet...you...!"

Her voice trailed off as she realized her uncle was still staring silently at Kaiba, and she tugged Mei back into the bakery, backing up fearfully.

"June, take Mei out through the back. She might need a walk." Jason said shortly, crossing his arms and leaning against the glass, still staring resolutely at Kaiba.

Kaiba mirrored his stance and stood with his feet shoulder length apart. He wasn't about to lose any intimidation game with his...boss? That thought made Kaiba smirk slightly, and he saw Jason glare at him.

"What is so funny." The manager snapped, and he turned to address his niece again, "June, I said go out the back and walk Mei."

June gripped the leash so tightly her knuckles began to hurt. She nodded quickly and disappeared through the kitchen flaps with Mei bounding excitedly behind her, letting out another large bark which echoed loudly throughout the empty bakery.

Jason waited until he heard the back door slam before he spoke, his eyes roaming over Kaiba's face. It was shocking how much this man resembled his employee, and he coughed, stepping aside, "Would you like to come in?"

"No." Kaiba said shortly, hoping to speak as little as possible as to avoid being recognized-if he hadn't been already.

"Right, so how can I thank you." Jason said, eyeing him readily, giving him another once-over look. "Want a slice of cake?"

"No." Kaiba said, resisting the urge to laugh. Eat a piece of his own cake as a reward for bringing back the spoiled dog? Ridiculous.

"I supposed you're the reason why my employee didn't show up for work this morning." Jason said darkly, still glaring.

 _Your employee was a guest speaker this morning,_ Kaiba thought furiously as the image of Yami sitting several rows away from the stage floated to the front of his mind. _I can't be in two places at once all the goddamn time._

"Your employee..." Kaiba started, and then he paused, carefully choosing his next words, "...is fired."

Jason shifted his stance uncomfortably, "What the hell is that supposed to mean."

"It means, he's not coming in. Not tomorrow, not the next day, not ever." Kaiba said stiffly, resisting the urge to glare at Jason.

He knew Jason was very insistent on keeping Hiro at the bakery. Kaiba felt himself twitch as he inadvertently remembered Jason praising him, offering to pass him on to local caterers who needed talent.

"Look." Jason said, sighing heavily, "I know what this is about. It's about that spiky-haired kid isn't it."

 _No, it's about me, fucking my life up,_ Kaiba retorted angrily in his mind, but he chose to stay silent. He would let Jason run his mouth a little while longer before leaving this place forever.

"Well, bet that's hard for you." Jason said dryly, uncrossing his arms and straightening, "Mr. I-have-it-all, can't get someone to return his feelings. You don't go around taking it out on other people. That's not right. That kid had potential. Bet you didn't even know his name before you started blackmailing him now, did you?"

Kaiba uncrossed his arms too and slowly slid his hands into his pockets, clenching his fists. Blackmail? Again?

"Is that what you think?" Kaiba said stiffly, "That I have all the free time in the world, to blackmail a nobody?"

"Then you tell me what it is." Jason shot back, reaching out to grip the door handle tightly, looking as if he was resisting the urge to slam the door in Kaiba's face. "And while you're at it, you can tell me how you just _happened_ to find my niece's dog too."

Kaiba ground his teeth inadvertently. He didn't like what Jason was insinuating.

Kaiba shook the hair out of his eyes irritably, quickly thinking of a lie, "I just gave him an opportunity he couldn't resist. Culinary training, overseas."

There was a long silence before Jason spoke again, "Hiro is a good kid and he just got pulled into something over his head. People say he looks like you, have you seen the kid? You two are a spitting image of each other."

 _Is he trying to insult me?_ Kaiba wondered faintly as he absently crossed his arms again and spoke firmly, "That's neither here nor there. Whatever his name is, he's not coming back. So don't expect him back."

Jason stepped forwards threateningly, "Why don't you tell me what this is really about, hm?"

Before Kaiba could answer, he heard a dog bark loudly behind him. He tensed, and sure enough, Mei came sniffing around his ankles again, pawing at him playfully while jutting up on her hind legs.

"Mei!" June cried, rushing forwards to pick up the leash, "I'm sorry Uncle J, she just ran forwards too quickly, I lost my grip!"

She looked up at Kaiba fearfully while Mei continued circle Kaiba's feet, "She doesn't usually like..strangers.."

"Probably because he's had her for a while." Jason said shrewdly, glaring accusingly at Kaiba.

"Don't say that Uncle J!" June exclaimed, gripping the leash to her chest, "We're very sorry to have troubled you, Mr. Kaiba."

Kaiba nodded stiffly and he turned to leave, and Mei began to follow him closely at his heels while June scrambled after her to pick up the leash. He briefly entertained the thought of sending June a sturdier leash anonymously before he heard a stifled gasp sound out behind him.

And then June's voice echoed shrilly out from behind him, "Hiro..!"

Kaiba heard Jason whisper angrily to her and he forced himself to keep walking. He heard footsteps running up from behind him as Mei began panting and pawing at him heavily again.

"You are Hiro...aren't you?" June asked, wavering slightly on the spot as she tried to block his path. Mei barked loudly at her and Kaiba's ears began to ring slightly.

He forced himself to sneer down at her in the most un-Hiro-like way, "Who?"

June crossed her arms nervously and nodded, "You can fool me with your looks all you want, but you can't fool Mei. She follows you and circles your feet the same way she does with Hiro. That's the only reason that makes sense."

Kaiba swallowed, feeling his palms heat up as he clenched them tighter. He had been outed by a fucking dog. He eyed the alleyway nervously where his car was parked only a few feet away. He was so close...

Jason came jogging up behind him, sounding breathless, "June, don't be ridiculous, come back here. He's dangerous."

June stood her ground as Mei continued to sniff around Kaiba's ankles, "But you see it, don't you Uncle J? From the back, Mr. Kaiba looks exactly like...Hiro! They're the same height and everything! What are the chances?"

"Slim." Jason said, dragging his niece out of Kaiba's path, "And I want you to go inside, call Uncle Ben. He'll help us out in the place of Hiro."

"Wait...why?" June cried as Mei started pawing at Kaiba playfully again. Kaiba glared down at the dog, trying to communicate with her through his thoughts. Sit...down! Get off..!

"Because..." Jason said, slowly looking at Kaiba, whose gaze was fixed pointedly down the alleyway. Jason then caught the front corner of a white sports car, peeking out from behind the building, parked in the employee space where Hiro usually left his car. He then glanced down at Mei, who was leaping around Kaiba's feet excitedly while Kaiba pointedly ignored everything around him.

"Because..?!" June repeated shrilly, twisting away from her uncle's grasp and running in front of Kaiba again to block his path.

"Because Hiro's busy June-bug." Jason said, as understanding began to dawn on him slowly. He stepped in front of Kaiba to pull June away for the second time, "Because he's got a company to run."

Kaiba felt his heart stop in his chest as he heard this. Well, the fact that he was Hiro was no secret now.

"Wh-at?" June cried, staring up at her uncle, confused. "Don't you mean, Mr. Kaiba is busy ...because ...he's got a company to run?"

"Yes." Jason said firmly, dragging June farther away from Kaiba as he carefully picked Mei's leash up from off the ground, "That's what I figure anyway. Let's get back inside and finish closing up."

Kaiba watched as June gaped at him as her uncle pulled her back towards the bakery, and he let out the breath he had been holding. That...went a lot better than he'd hoped.

He turned sharply and strode quickly back to his car, trying to ignore the guilty pounding of his heart as he tucked himself behind the wheel.

* * *

Yami slowly lifted his eyelids, realizing he had slept through the rest day. It was dark outside his window and the house was quiet. He hand was sore where he had fallen asleep on it while clutching his phone.

Yami checked his phone eagerly, disappointed when he saw there were no messages. He sat up drearily, his eyelids still heavy with exhaustion. He felt like he hadn't slept at all.

Sighing, he glanced at his phone again, suddenly remembering he had silenced a few texts from Kaiba earlier. His stomach churning uncertainly, he swiped a finger across the screen, dreading what he would see.

"Yami, I'm asking you to give me a chance. Could you look away from Hiro for a moment and spend a full day with me? Uninterrupted."

Yami clicked his phone off angrily and he tossed it towards his pillow, hearing the corner of the phone hit the wall with a dull thunk. Oh...crap! Had he broken the screen?!

Yami's eyes widened as he quickly grabbed at his phone, turning the screen to face him, his heart pounding nervously. The screen was fine, but the titanium corner had suffered a small scratch and that made Yami even angrier.

Why did he even care about this phone? It's not like it mattered to Kaiba that he had it anyway.

He stared down at the text Kaiba had sent him and he decided to reply with a simple, "No."

Just as he hit send, he heard a soft knock at the door and Yugi entered the room, carrying a bowl of soup on a tray.

Yami sat up, startled. "Aibou?"  
The tray and the soup were usually reserved for when someone was sick, and he wasn't sick. "I'm not..sick." He said uncertainly, watching as Yugi balanced the tray on his knee and flipped the lights on.

"It's always so dark in here! If you were awake, you could turn the light on!" Yugi exclaimed, resuming his grasp on the tray and making his way towards Yami's bed.

Yugi placed the tray down onto the tiny nightstand they shared, and he sat down gingerly on the edge of the bed beside Yami.

"You're ..lovesick." Yugi said carefully, pointing at the bowl, "Please eat. I haven't seen you properly eat these past few days. Anzu also noticed. You're acting like you're sick, so you're going to be treated like you're sick."

"Lovesick?! How-I'm not!" Yami protested, shaking his head slightly, "I'll eat downstairs. I'm fine!"

"You also haven't been sleeping." Yugi continued gently, grabbing the tray and placing it onto his own lap, "Every time I wake up, you're either awake or not at home."

Yugi lifted the spoon out of the bowl. The savory scent of chicken drifted past Yami's nose and he felt a pang of hunger sear through his stomach.

"Fine." Yami said, gently placing a hand over Yugi's which was still carefully holding the spoon. "I'll eat it, I will. Downstairs, okay, Aibou?"

Yugi lowered the spoon back down into the bowl and nodded, gazing steadily into Yami's large, angular eyes.

Yami managed a small smile as he stood up off the bed and lifted the tray up from Yugi's lap, moving towards the door.

Yugi quickly inched off the bed and hurried to follow Yami out the door, making sure to flip the lights off on his way out.

* * *

Kaiba eased himself down onto the kitchen stool as he waited for his coffee to boil. He'd finally gotten home after a half-day at the office and he was feeling extremely worn out.

He slid his phone out from his pocket to read the text he had received from Yami hours ago. It was a single word.

_"No."_

This was the millionth time he had read this text today, and Kaiba stared at it so hard, his eyes began to water. He clicked his phone off and shoved it back into his pocket, telling himself that Yami would come around eventually.

Eventually, he would realize that Hiro no longer worked at the bakery.  
Eventually, he would forget about Hiro and realize it was a mistake.  
Eventually...

Kaiba palmed his face heavily, listening to the soft bubbling of the coffee echo around in the empty kitchen. He couldn't wait until "eventually" came around.

He wanted to be with Yami now, dammit!

Kaiba glanced at the glowing dial of the oven clock; it was almost 3AM, right around the time Yami usually showed up unannounced. He knew Yami wasn't showing up tonight. Their fight at the cafe had probably solidified every single terrible thing he had ever done, in Yami's eyes.

He knew it was unhealthy to keep pushing, but he decided to do it anyway.

Kaiba slid the phone out from his pocket again and sent Yami another text.

"Lunch, tomorrow? I'll make time." And he sent it with a heavy heart.

He wasn't expecting an answer, but an answer came anyway. Immediately.

_"No."_

Yami was bundled up under the covers with the sheets pulled over his head to obscure the light coming from his phone screen. He didn't want to disturb Yugi at this hour.

He was in the middle of composing a long text message to Hiro when his phone buzzed back at him, giving him a fright.

Yami glanced at the time; it was close to 3AM, just about the time he would normally take his nightly walk to Kaiba's office. And he knew Kaiba was aware of this.

Sighing, Yami went back to writing his text message letter to Hiro.

_"Hiro,_

_I am aware that there may be some things you cannot tell me, but I understand. I will patiently wait for your reply until you feel comfortable with telling me."_

Yami shut his eyes for a moment, feeling nauseous. Telling someone you're being blackmailed by Seto Kaiba probably wasn't the easiest thing to say casually...

He continued adding to the text:

_"I'll check in with you every day, and I will still wait for you by the bench around the time of your breaks. So even if I can't see you, I know you'll be able to see me. And you'll know that I am here for you."_

Yami read the text over twice and sent it, feeling oddly empty.

He rolled over onto his back and his phone buzzed again. It was Kaiba.

_"We can go anywhere you want. You don't even have to eat. Just spend some time with me."_

Yami glared at his screen, the words burning into his eyes so much that every time he blinked, the text would float off the screen in green little dots.

If Kaiba could be so truthful about his feelings, perhaps he could be truthful about what part of the world he had banished Hiro to.

 _"Sure."_ Yami replied spitefully, and he sent it as a single worded text, just to get Kaiba's hopes up before he sent a second text after it, _"If you can find it within yourself to leave Hiro alone, we can go from there."_

Kaiba read the texts over quickly and clicked his phone off, willing himself to remain calm.

Yami was still stuck on Hiro. That's fine. He would try again tomorrow. And the day after, and the day after that.

Hiro doesn't exist as a singular person! Kaiba thought furiously as he made his way over to the coffee pot. He poured himself a steaming cup, then steadily made his way up the grand staircase towards his room.

He briefly wondered if he should be flattered, considering how taken Yami was with his stupid Hiro persona.

 _What the hell is the difference?!_ Kaiba fumed, setting the coffee cup down onto his desk heavily, almost spilling it. He sat down in his chair and gently massaged his temples.

He glanced down at the drawer in his desk where Hiro's phone lay, silenced.

It had been that way for 2 days, and Kaiba vowed he would never check it again.

It would just add more damage to the already fragile bridge that was connecting him to Yami.

All he could do now was wait, and hope.

* * *

Yami heard the birds chirping loudly outside his window and and kept his eyes firmly shut. He could see the light filtering in through his lids and he sunk his head further into the pillow. He had slept terribly. His entire body ached.

He had spent the better part of the night being angry at Kaiba's texts and obsessively re-reading every text he had ever exchanged with Hiro. Nothing seemed to indicate that something was wrong, which frustrated him further.

Yami waited for Yugi's alarm to ring, but realized he had either slept through it or it had already been silenced. He sat up suddenly and glanced around the room.

Yugi's bed was empty.

Yami blinked, suddenly surprised. What time was it?! Had he overslept or had Yugi woken up early?

He slid his hand beneath his pillow, sliding his phone out to check the time. It was 11:30 AM. Not early at all...

Then, Yami remembered Yugi had said something about go-karting. Sighing, he leaned back into the bed, staring up at the ceiling which was too bright. The sunlight hurt his eyes so he shut them again. Perhaps he should sleep through today as well. He still felt exhausted and he had nothing to look forward to anyway.

The doorbell sounded faintly downstairs and Yami ignored it. If it was the delivery man, they could leave it at the door. If it was anyone else, they would ring again.

The doorbell sounded again, and again. Three times. Yami sat up, irritated.

He shoved his phone in his pocket and hurried downstairs. He was standing in front of the door, about to open it before he caught a glimpse of a familiar crop of light brown hair, peeking out from the small window above the doorway.

Yami ducked down out of sight, his heart pounding. It was...Kaiba!

 _Well, I'm not home!_ Yami thought viciously, leaning against the opposite wall, listening to the rustling noises coming from the other side of the door. _I'm out with everyone else, so you can leave, Kaiba!_

Kaiba stood apprehensively on the doorstep, feeling oddly tall. He could see directly into the home through the tiny windows on the door which were almost at his eye level.

He thought he had seen a movement and heard footsteps, but he had barely slept a wink last night, so he chalked it up to himself just being crazy.

Kaiba slid his phone out from his pocket and sent Yami a quick text.

_"Come outside."_

Yami felt his phone buzz loudly in his pocket and he silenced it quickly, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. Did Kaiba hear that?! He checked the message.

Kaiba had sent him a message asking him to come outside.

 _"Outside where?"_ Yami responded, and he made sure to wait a full two minutes before sending the reply, watching Kaiba's shadow waver by the doorstep.

Yami could hear Kaiba's phone buzz through the door as he received the text, and he held his breath.

Kaiba frowned at the screen. Was Yami not at home? He could've sworn Mokuba had told him Yami wasn't going go-karting with everyone, so this was his chance to maybe, spend the afternoon with Yami. Well, he wasn't giving up that easily.

 _"There's something for you on your doorstep."_ Kaiba typed, and he sent it, listening intently for sounds coming from behind the door.

Nice try, Yami thought coldly, staring at Kaiba's hovering shadow on the doorstep as he quickly responded with, _"Not interested."_ And he heard Kaiba's phone buzz softly from beyond the doorway.

This was so bizarre and childish, but he knew if he showed his face, Kaiba would drag him out and demand that they spend the afternoon together.

On any other day, he would appreciate it, but Yami couldn't bring himself to face Kaiba after spending the entire night wondering about how Hiro must be feeling.

Kaiba waited a few more minutes by the door, circling the house to peer into the game shop window before doubling back to stand on the doorstep. If Yami was inside, he wasn't coming out, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Sighing heavily, Kaiba set the items down he had brought over for Yami, on the doorstep, and he left.

Yami waited a full five minutes before he moved from his spot behind the wall. He was listening for the roar of Kaiba's sports car, but had heard none.

Perhaps he had his manservant drive him, Yami thought uncertainly as he moved cautiously towards the door. He carefully turned the doorknob and pulled the door open, peering outside. Kaiba was gone. He looked down and found an odd bundle of flowers laying on the ground, wrapped in sheer pink plastic, and a note in Kaiba's handwriting.

Yami felt his eyelid twitch and he picked it up, quickly ducking back inside and shutting the door carefully behind him.

He made his way over to the kitchen counter and threw the flowers down onto the surface roughly, it's light floral scent assaulting his senses as he read thin handwriting on the note.

_"These are the hybrids of those flowers you really like._

_-Seto"_

Seto huh? Yami thought irritably, peeling back the pink plastic, catching a glimpse of several brown twisted stems rolled up in a tight bundle. What flowers are these...?

He peeled the plastic back further and suddenly, a flurry of pink petals snowed down from the counter and floated gently onto the ground around his feet.

The air began closing around him tightly and Yami struggled to draw his next breath. These were...the flowers...Hiro had taken him to go see! How could Kaiba have known about that incident...unless Hiro had personally told him?!

This was cruel. This meant Kaiba was at least in touch with Hiro somehow, or he had gotten this information out of Hiro, somehow.

Yami grabbed his phone out from his pocket and sent Kaiba an angry text, _"Don't litter on my doorstep."_

He clicked the phone off angrily and placed it onto the counter beside the pink flowers, making his way upstairs, intent on reading a book, or doing literally anything else that would take his mind off of Kaiba and his ridiculous antics.

Kaiba was sitting in his car, a bit away from the Kame Game Shop.

He had seen Yami duck out quickly and stare at the flowers on the doorstep, before sweeping them up and looking around him furtively before closing the door.

So, he _was_ home. Yami was just avoiding him. Kaiba tapped the steering wheel nervously, wondering if this would help make amends in any way, or if it would only make Yami angrier. He waited.

His phone buzzed after a few minutes and Kaiba picked it up excitedly, his heart sinking to his feet as he read Yami's vicious text, _"Don't litter on my doorstep."_

He gripped the phone so tightly, the tips of his fingernails turned white. Kaiba quickly typed out a reply, "If you wanted them to come in a vase, I'll keep that in mind next time." And he sent it.

He had a feeling he wasn't going to get a response, so he started the car and drove off.

* * *

Yugi held the door open for everyone as they stepped past him and into the dark game shop. They had been out all day and Yugi was beginning to feel weary, even though they all enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

"Wow it's so dark in here." Tristan commented, glancing around at the shadowy stacks of board games hugging the walls. "Very creepy actually."

Anzu and Mokuba stood fearfully in the middle of the room, nodding in agreement.

"You up for a round of video games?" Joey asked, nudging Yugi playfully as Yugi flipped the lights on and locked the door behind him.

"Let me go check on Yami real quick." Yugi said, nodding quickly as he rushed across the shop and pushed open the adjacent door leading into the house, "You guys come on in."

The gang nodded and shuffled in quietly after Yugi, each peeling off their shoes before stepping into the house.

Yugi glanced around the living room, barely registering the mess of pink petals on the counter as he hurried up the stairs, knocking on their bedroom door, "Yami? I'm coming in!"

He turned the knob and stepped into the room cautiously, surprised to see that Yami was awake and actively reading a book on his bed.

"Hi." Yugi said warmly, climbing up onto the bed and giving Yami a tight hug, "I hope you enjoyed having the house to yourself today."

Yami closed the book gently and was about to respond before deafening wails shook the walls.

They were coming from downstairs, and it sounded like everyone was in distress. Yugi sat up and leapt off the bed, "I'm going back downstairs to make sure everyone is okay. Yami you come too..!" And he rushed out of the room.

Yami sat frozen on his bed, realizing he had forgotten to pick up the mess of petals on the counter. And what's more, he had left Kaiba's note on top of it in plain view...

He bounded off the bed and raced downstairs, stopping in the middle of the staircase as everyone's eyes turned to face him.

There was a long silence as Yami raised a hand awkwardly, "Good..evening." And he gave a half-hearted wave, feeling himself grow uncomfortably hot all over.

Mokuba spoke up first, "Was my brother actually here? Today? These smell fresh."

"He-" Yami started but was cut off by Joey and Tristan mocking the words on the note.

"ThEzE aRe tHe HybRidS oF tH0Se fLoWeRs YoU rEaLly LiKe!" Tristan cackled maliciously, "Dude, how many chicks do you think he writes these notes to?"

"Nah man, look," Joey snickered gleefully, pointing at the bottom of the note, "He signed it _"Seto"_! "

Yami felt a strange bubble of anger rise up in his throat and he swallowed it forcefully.

He wasn't sure if he was angry at the note, the flowers, or at Tristan and Joey poking fun at the way Kaiba had signed the note.

Mokuba looked visibly stricken and Anzu was staring at him strangely. Yugi was torn between wanting to rush up the stairs to console Yami and wanting to read the note in Tristan's hands.

Yami carefully made his way down the stairs in a daze, briefly wondering what his friend's reactions would be like if the note came from Hiro instead. They would be more kind and accepting towards Hiro, wouldn't they?

He reached the counter and slipped the note out from Tristan's grasp, briefly wondering if Mokuba knew anything about Hiro. Probably not, but Yami decided he ought to try asking anyway while he had the chance.

"Mokuba." Yami said slowly, folding the note into his pocket and turning to face him, "Have you ever met someone named Hiro?"

The room quieted instantly and Mokuba began turning an unpleasant shade of green.

"N-no." Mokuba stammered, crossing his arms firmly over his chest the way he had often seen Seto do when people tried to intimidate him. But he knew Yami wasn't being intimidating on purpose. Seto probably did something wrong, as Hiro, again.

There was a long silence as everyone watched Yami stare at Mokuba, and Mokuba stared right back at Yami.

 _I'm going to kill Seto when I get back_ , Mokuba thought privately, drumming his fingers nervously against his arm. Where was Isono? He was never late picking him up from anywhere, ever! Now was not a good time to be late..!

"I have a feeling you might know who he is." Anzu said perceptively, speaking up for the first time.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Mokuba insisted, backing away towards the door. He was getting out of here before he got in trouble.

The doorbell rang just in time and Mokuba rushed to answer it, shouting over his shoulder, "That's Isono. Thanks for inviting me guys...!"  
He pulled the door open and stopped in his tracks. It was his older brother.

"H-Hi Seto." Mokuba said automatically before he could stop himself. He pushed past his older brother forcefully and stood a bit away from the doorway, feeling agitated. They needed to leave..now!

Yami froze as he heard Mokuba whisper his brother's name before dashing out the door. The group made similar noises of shock and discontent.

Kaiba peered in through the doorway and nodded towards the flowers on the counter, noting how the petals had spilled all over the floor and the two goons were gaping at him with their mouths hanging open. Anzu and Yugi were glaring at him as usual, and Yami was looking past him as if he were made of air.

"You should put them in water." Kaiba said patiently, addressing Yami directly.

Yami seemed to snap out of his daze and he narrowed his eyes threateningly, "Spoken to Hiro lately?"

"That guy?" Kaiba said, willing his voice to remain steady, "Yeah we talk every day."

 _In my head,_ Kaiba finished privately with a smirk.

Yami clenched his fists at his sides, "I'm not joking around with you Kaiba."

"I'm being serious." Kaiba responded lightly, feeling Mokuba shift uncomfortably behind him.

"Why isn't he answering his phone or responding to my texts?" Yami asked coldly, glaring at Kaiba. "You have yet to answer that question."

There was a heavy silence before Kaiba replied with, "He _is_ answering your texts, but you keep ignoring him. He asked if you were available today, and if I recall correctly, you responded with "no"."

"That was my conversation with you." Yami hissed, stepping closer towards the doorway, trying to control his rage.

"You were talking with Hiro." Kaiba said with a delirious laugh, "You talk with Hiro every day too. We're the same person."

There was another long pause before Joey and Tristan burst out laughing, gasping and wheezing, gripping each other as their shoulders shook, "This guy...he's totally lost it!"

Kaiba curled his fingers into his palms tightly. Was he not being obvious enough? Only Hiro would've known about those flowers...!

Yami opened his mouth to retaliate but Anzu spoke up before him. "Get out."

Yami threw her a grateful look and nodded. He couldn't agree more.

Kaiba stood very still in the doorway, gripping the keys to his car so hard the metal began to dig painfully into his palms. The goons were crying with laughter while Yami, Yugi and Anzu glared viciously at him.

Yami blinked as he watched Kaiba narrow his eyes at Joey and Tristan and he sensed shouting was imminent. "Please leave." Yami said coldly, while Yugi and Anzu nodded beside him.

Kaiba felt the air around him closing in, threatening to choke the life out of him. He stood very still, his vision blurring dangerously at the corners.

"Seto...?" Mokuba's voice came echoing out from behind him and Kaiba forced himself to stay composed. It took a huge effort, but he managed to step away from the doorstep and towards his younger brother.

He somehow managed a small smile in Mokuba's direction and he held his hand out for him to hold, "I parked around the corner. You must tired, let's get you home."

Kaiba felt as though someone else was living in his body, walking through his life, leading his little brother to the car, and getting behind the wheel before finally driving off into the night.

Yugi stood at the edge of the doorway, watching the red taillights of Kaiba's car disappear into the distance and he turned back towards Yami with an exasperated sigh, "Are you guys in a fight?"

That question caught Yami off guard. He thought that was obvious.

"Yes...we had a disagreement." Yami said slowly, feeling Anzu's eyes on him as he spoke, "I told him unless he left Hiro alone, I wouldn't be speaking with him."

"Wait," Joey said loudly, "Hiro the bakery guy? We've met him like, what, twice now? Is Kaiba picking on him?"

Yugi nodded uncertainly, "Sounds like it."

Yami felt his nausea return with full force and he turned towards the stairs, "I'll be..going up. Have a good night, everyone."

There was a soft chorus of "goodnight" and Yami could feel his friends nodding sympathetically behind him as he waked up to his room and shut the door quietly behind him.

* * *

Kaiba gently set the glass of milk beside Mokuba's bed stand and he leaned forwards to pull his brother into a tight embrace.

"Are you okay, Seto?" Mokuba's voice muffled by his shirt came drifting up from below him.

"I'm fine, Mokuba." Kaiba answered, feeling hollow. He moved to stand up but Mokuba held on a little tighter.

"I heard what happened while I was standing outside," Mokuba said, his fingers curling into Seto's shirt, "I heard you talk about Hiro, and I heard them laugh."

Kaiba slowly pried Mokuba off of him and laid him back into the pillows, "Don't worry too much about it."

Mokuba gripped the sheets tightly and nodded, watching his brother stand and leave the room, "Wait...Seto!"

Kaiba turned to face Mokuba, his hand on the light switch, one foot out the door, "Yes?"

"Y-You really like him, don't you?" Mokuba said, his voice wavering with emotion, "Yami. You sent him flowers...!"

Kaiba nodded, feeling the familiar lump rise up in his throat, "Goodnight Mokuba."

"Night Seto.." Mokuba said, frowning, dipping himself deeper into the covers and rolling over with a huff.

Kaiba felt himself smile in spite of himself and he flipped the lights off, closing the door softly behind him.

* * *

Yami was bunched up under the covers again, in the darkness, listening to the deafening chirps of the crickets outside. His days and nights were blurring together. It felt like the day had ended too quickly, or too slowly, Yami wasn't sure.

He stared at his phone, scrolling through his text thread with Hiro, waiting for the "Read" sign to appear underneath each of the chat bubbles.

He sighed and began typing another line of text into the message bar.

_"Hiro,_

_The day went by in a blur. When you do decide to read my messages, I hope your feelings about me won't have changed. I know I've barely known you a week before you had to leave unexpectedly, but I feel as though I've known you for much longer._

_Perhaps when you get back, we could all go to see the ocean together before the summer ends! My friends really like you, and I'm sure with time, we would all get along fine!"_

Yami paused in his typing as he heard Yugi shift in his sleep in the bed across from him. He briefly debated telling Hiro about the flowers Kaiba had sent him, but he chose to leave it out in the end. He added one more line,

_"Thinking of you."_

And then he sent it.

Sighing, Yami rolled over onto his side, staring blankly at his screen. It was almost 3AM again, somehow. Perhaps there would be a text from Kaiba soon, as usual. He stared at his screen, waiting for his phone to buzz. It stayed silent.

3AM came and went, with no text message from Kaiba. Yami swallowed nervously, unsure if he should feel satisfied or worried. He clicked his phone off and shoved it under his pillow.

Yami tossed and turned underneath the covers before drifting off into a restless sleep.

* * *

Kaiba felt his alarm going off beside his head and he reached up to silence it. Groaning softly, he pulled his phone over to his face, squinting at the time.

It was the ambitious alarm he had set last night, thinking he would wake up early and be motivated enough to squeeze in some sets at the gym before heading into the office.

Nope. He was too tired.

Was there a text from Yami?

No.

Kaiba rolled over and shut his eyes, his head pounding painfully. He felt like he was hungover, even though he had slept a full eight hours. He sat up slowly and palmed his face.

Was yesterday a terrible dream? No, it was real. Mokuba had confirmed it was real before he was tucked into bed.

Kaiba felt despair slowly creeping up around him, threatening to consume him.

He kept picturing himself, standing in the doorway in front of Yami, saying the words, "Hiro and I are the same person." And he was laughed out the door.

Maybe if the goon squad wasn't there, it would have gone differently.

Kaiba leaned back heavily into the pillows, a dull ache settling over his entire body. He would not give up.

He could try a different approach and just stop talking to Yami completely, and things would hopefully return to normal over time. But how long would that take?

A small voice in the back of his head told him that it would be months, maybe even years before Yami would begin to forgive him for "erasing Hiro".

Sighing heavily, Seto eased himself out of bed and slowly made his way over to the bathroom, resolving to be at least somewhat productive at the office today, even if he couldn't bring himself to head into the gym.

* * *

Yami tapped the counter top absently, watching the second hands on the clock tick by rhythmically. Yugi had decided to go in for one of his classes, so he was stuck at the counter by himself until he returned.

He glanced down at his phone, waiting for Yugi to text him back.

Silence.

Yami frowned, wondering for the umpteenth time if he ought to be worried he hadn't received a text from Kaiba last night.

He slid the phone screen open and tapped on Hiro's name in his messages, seeing his text from last night pop up. The area beneath the text was blank. Hiro still hadn't read the message.

Suddenly, the doorbell jingled and Yami lifted his head up quickly. Yugi!

His spirits fell when he realized it was a customer...a familiar customer! It was the blue-eyed man from the restaurant!

Yami remembered he had helped this man out with selecting a few magician cards for his niece's deck, and he quickly composed himself, clicking his phone off hastily.

Yami stood up and made his way to the front of the store, keeping his tone polite and even, "Welcome! I hope your niece enjoyed those magicians in her deck!"

The man stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking around the store furtively and he nodded, ducking his head down politely. All of his previous charm seemed to have melted away.

Yami frowned slightly and gestured for the handsome stranger to step further inside instead of lingering by the door, "Please, if there is anything I can help you with..."

Suddenly, the man bowed very deeply and very formally, with his arms straight at his sides, ducking his head down so low, that the only thing Yami could see was a golden swirl of hair.

Backing away slightly, Yami swallowed nervously, "Can I help you?" This was very odd behavior indeed.

The man straightened up and looked deeply frightened. "I am so sorry. I was unaware. I hope you, and Mr. Kaiba will forgive me for my actions earlier this week."

And the man bowed deeply again, his fingers trembling at his sides. "I was unaware." The man said shakily.

Yami frowned and crossed his arms. What had Kaiba done this time?

The man straightened up and nodded politely as he turned to leave.

"Wait." Yami commanded firmly. He wasn't about to accept an apology meant for Kaiba; this was so odd! "You spoke with Kaiba?"

The man paused, his hand on the door handle. He seemed eager to leave and his voice wavered when he spoke, "I am deeply sorry." And he quickly stepped out into the bright sunshine, letting the door slam heavily behind him as he left.

The ringing clang of the bell echoed painfully in Yami's ears as he stared at the door, his mind racing. That man had come in several days ago and handed him a slip of paper, which Hiro had snatched out of his hands and kept, claiming it was a phone number.

Had Hiro told Kaiba about this incident too? Because this, combined with the flowers he had received the other day...Yami shook his head, disgusted.

It seemed that Kaiba had managed to intimidate this man too, and had even gotten an indirect apology out of it. To what lengths had Kaiba gone to know every detail of his time together with Hiro?! That thought was disturbing.

Suddenly extremely angry, Yami stalked over towards the counter and grabbed his phone, quickly texting Kaiba, writing, "I don't know what you're trying to achieve, but I'm telling you, I don't appreciate your invasion of my privacy." And he sent it, his fingers shaking with emotion as he tapped across the screen.

This was starting to get out of hand.

His phone buzzed back almost immediately and Yami read the text, irritated.

"What are you talking about?" Was all Kaiba had written.

Yami clenched his fist tightly, churning with a mixture of anger and frustration. Kaiba was either playing dumb on purpose or he really didn't know what he was talking about.

Yami raised the phone closer to his face and he began typing furiously, "The man, the blond-haired blue-eyed man from the restaurant where Hiro and I shared a meal, he showed up at the game shop again. Today. Are you telling me you don't know what that's about?" And he sent it, hearing his nails click angrily along the glass of the screen.

Kaiba was in the middle of a meeting when his phone buzzed again in his pocket. He knew it was incredibly rude to sit in the meeting with his phone still on, but he didn't want to risk missing anything from Yami, and he was secretly glad he chose to leave it on.

But the dirty looks he was getting from his executives sitting across the table were starting to make him sweat slightly.

He would have to wait until he got out of the meeting room to answer the second text.

Yami sat down behind the counter again and crossed his legs angrily, tapping his foot against the bar on the stool, waiting for Kaiba's response. A few minutes passed and a response still didn't arrived.

 _Well, then I suppose he doesn't know what to say after all_ , Yami thought wryly, his anger rising.

The doorbell jingled again and Yugi stepped into the shop, looking worn out.

"Aibou!" Yami exclaimed, standing up quickly and rushing around the counter to grab Yugi's bag from off his shoulder.

"Hey...I'm kinda pooped. I'm gonna eat something real quick." Yugi said, stretching slightly, "I came back as quick as I could though. Did anyone come in?"

Yami paused, debating whether or not he ought to lie. "Yes, a repeat customer, but he left without purchasing anything." He decided to be partially truthful.

"I see." Yugi said simply, walking towards the door leading into the house, slipping off his shoes, "I'll bring out some sandwiches for us! Wait for me here!"

Yami nodded and tossed Yugi's bag behind the counter. He settled himself down on the stool and stared at his phone. It had been twenty minutes and Kaiba still hadn't responded.

Kaiba was impatiently tapping his pen along the table, listening to his executives drone on in front of him as his anxiety began to rise. He had a feeling Yami might become increasingly more irritated the longer he took to reply, but he currently had his hands tied.

_"Hiro would respond, no matter the time of day or how busy he was...!"_

Yami's voice echoed unpleasantly in his mind as he watched another one of his executives stand up and read off his notes.

 _Well, Hiro isn't always free, so you're going have to wait_ , Kaiba growled, gripping his phone tightly in his pocket as he nodded at man who bowed and took his seat. Were they finished now? Had everyone around the table spoken?

Kaiba swept his gaze over the table and his executives looked back at him respectfully.

"Dismissed." He said stiffly, and he stood up to leave first.

Kaiba heard papers and chairs shuffling behind him as he pushed the large glass door aside and headed up towards his office. He quickly slid his phone out from his pocket to see when Yami had sent the text. It was about an hour ago.

Cursing, Kaiba slid his thumb across the screen as he stepped into the elevator.

Kaiba leaned back against the metal railing and sighed. So, the blonde maitre d' from the restaurant had went back to the game shop to apologize, and Yami was accusing him of "invading his privacy."

He quickly sent a text back, writing, _"I'd be happy to tell you more about it in person. I'll send a car."_

The elevator stopped at the top floor and the doors slid open quietly. Kaiba was just about to slip his phone back into his pocket when it buzzed again in his hand.

He glanced down. Yami had once again replied with, _"No."_

Kaiba clicked the phone off angrily and strode into his office with the intent of burying himself into his work for the rest of the day.

* * *

Yami was bundled up underneath the covers again, in the dark, staring at his phone screen, scrolling through his messages with Hiro.

Another day had gone by and still no response from Hiro. The messages had not been read. Yami had been checking periodically throughout the day, and nothing was different.

Feeling his shoulders grow heavy, Yami tapped the message bar and began typing,

_"Hiro,_

_I hope things are going well for you, wherever you may be, right now._

_I am aware it may be my fault that you're in a difficult situation, and you may not be able to respond. Please don't worry about me, I'm doing well!"_

Yami paused, his hands shaking slightly at the lie.

Suddenly, a thought hit him. If Kaiba was preventing Hiro from responding to the messages, Kaiba could very well be receiving these messages. These were being sent to one of his newest phones after all.

 _Very well, Kaiba,_ Yami thought darkly, _If you are reading these, then I will talk about you openly._

And he continued typing,

_"Kaiba has been requesting to spend more time with me. He and I are currently not on good speaking terms._

_I will try my best to help you from afar, and when you find the time to respond, I will be here waiting for you."_

Yami read the text over a few times before he finally hit send. He watched the text bubble up on the screen, realizing that as every night passed, the messages he sent got longer and longer.

He glanced at the time. It was 2:30 AM. Would Kaiba send him another text at 3AM? Yami sighed and stared at his screen, half hoping, half dreading. He leaned his head heavily down onto the pillow and felt himself beginning to drift off into a light sleep.

* * *

Kaiba rolled over in his bed as the sunlight streamed in from the high windows hugging the ceiling. He could feel the warmth creeping across his body and he threw the covers off of himself, irritated.

He sat up sleepily, checking his phone. It was 5AM, and there were no messages from Yami. As expected.

Kaiba sighed and leaned back into the pillows, placing an arm over his eyes, willing his eyes to stay dry.

He was always the one who initiated the texts at 3AM, and he was tired of being shot down by Yami's cold, one word answers.

He clenched his fists and sat up slowly. He would endure this.

Kaiba got up off the bed and walked into the bathroom, switching on the sink and splashing cold water across his face. He automatically reached up into the cabinet and stopped himself just as his slender fingers wrapped around a bottle of hair dye.

He brought it down off the shelf to stare at it anyway.

 _Curse this thing,_ Kaiba growled, moving to toss it into the trash. He stepped on the lever and held it over the metal rim, his mind racing. Would he be needing the rest of this dye? This was his last bottle...

Kaiba lifted his foot off the lever, closing the lid and he placed the bottle back up on the highest shelf. He wouldn't throw it away just yet; he might need it.

* * *

Yami sat behind the counter, drumming his fingers absently against the glass.

How many days had it been since he had seem Hiro? How many days had be been stuck behind this counter? Why was every day so dull...

He stared down at his phone screen with a heavy heart. Kaiba was known for his persistence, but it was odd experiencing a break in the pattern. He had lost track of how many days it had been since he had received a message from Kaiba.

 _Perhaps, he's actually sleeping at a normal hour,_ Yami mused, watching a stranger pass by the window and peer in quickly before walking away. Yugi had gone to attend the classes he had, and these were the days Anzu would come in with him.

Yami sighed heavily, he couldn't even bring himself to care about Anzu's company. He normally looked forward to these afternoons, where the three of them would sit behind the counter, laugh and share stories from their day.

He drummed his fingers against the glass again, his eyelids growing extremely heavy, waiting for something, anything, to happen. He glanced over at the chess boards, and he was immediately irritated when Kaiba's face floated to the front of his mind.

Yami was itching to leave, to go somewhere, literally anywhere but behind the counter of the game shop. He wanted to visit the bakery, he wanted to be outside in the sun...

Yami leaned his head down on the counter, feeling the cold glass press into his cheek as he closed his eyes softly. He felt himself starting to drift off and he pried his eyes open forcefully. He needed to stay awake!

Yami kept his cheek down against the counter drearily as he stared at the rim of his phone sitting on the surface.

He sleepily tapped on Hiro's name in his phone and sent him a text, typing slowly with one hand. He knew Hiro had his phone off, so it wouldn't matter what time he sent these texts.

_"I really want to be outside...! Downtown Domino Park would be a great place to spend the rest of today! Are you enjoying the sunshine?_

_I think I will try to spend the rest of my afternoon there! If you manage to see this message in time, perhaps you could meet me there around 5?_

_The view of the sunset from the grassy hill is beautiful..."_

I'm rambling like I'm crazy, Yami berated himself, but he sent it anyway, thunking his forehead back down onto the counter painfully.

* * *

Kaiba heard his phone buzz loudly across his desk, startling him. He paused, his hands hovering his keyboard.

He reached over, his pulse racing excitedly when saw it was a text from Yami.

Kaiba read it over slowly and narrowed his eyes at the paragraph of text.

How strange for Yami to write him something so wordy...and a request for a meet up?

This text was meant for Hiro, Kaiba was sure of it. Yami had probably mistakenly sent this to him on accident.

He pushed the phone away slightly and finished composing the email he was writing. He waited for the phone to buzz with a follow-up text, of Yami sounding angry or defensive after realizing he had sent the text to the wrong person.

Nothing. His phone remained silent.

 _Well_ , Kaiba thought darkly, pulling up his schedule, _If he really thinks he sent that to Hiro, I'm going to be there at 5, and that's when he'll realize then he sent the text to me._

Kaiba sighed and hit the call button on his desk phone, ringing up his secretary to move the times around to clear his 5 through 7 o'clock meetings.

Maybe this was a good thing.

* * *

Anzu and Yugi were walking towards the parking lot when Anzu suddenly stopped in her tracks and furrowed her brow.

Yugi mirrored her frown, "What is it, Anzu?"

Anzu tilted her head, glancing behind her at the wide crossing and at the bakery in the distance.

"I was just thinking...this is when Hiro would normally get off from his shift." She said quietly, eyeing the crosswalk light as it turned red, and then green.

"Oh, okay." Yugi said simply, shifting his bag across his shoulder, "Let's head over there then. I've got something I want to say to him."

He was going to give Hiro a piece of his mind, for ignoring Yami's messages for days on end.

Anzu looked slightly surprised, "You sure that'd be a good idea? I mean, the last time I went, the manager wasn't too happy with me." Anzu guiltily recalled the time she had lied about being Hiro's girlfriend, but had come up empty. Hiro had already left for the day, so if they wanted to catch him now, they should hurry...

"But let's go anyway," Anzu said firmly, nodding at Yugi, "For Yami."

"For Yami." Yugi said seriously, nodding solemnly in agreement and they made their way over to the crosswalk together in silence.

They cautiously approached the bakery doors and watched as a couple of students pushed past them, chattering loudly, gripping small mint-colored boxes housing singular cupcakes.

Yugi held the door open for Anzu as she stepped inside, looking around for the manager. He wasn't anywhere to be seen, but a burly male brunette sporting a thick beard was at the register, helping a customer.

Yugi watched as the man placed a cupcake into a holder and passed it over to the customer, who smiled and bowed, quickly moving aside for the next person behind them in line. He noticed the cream looked a little different, so he nudged Anzu, "Anzu, do the cupcakes look wierd to you today?"

Anzu nodded, and they inched their way closer to the display case of cakes and cupcakes. Everything was still as neat and beautiful as before, the all the toppings had been simplified.

There were no longer delicate cream roses and leaves lining the edges of the sliced cakes. They had been replaced by simple circular puffs of cream, all even in size and shape.

The cupcakes still had their perfect swirls, but the swirl was larger and thicker, more robust looking.

"How can I help you kids today?" The man with the beard said happily, moving over in front of the case and pointing at a lightly powdered cake with light green puffs of cream sitting along the edge, "Matcha cream, original house blend! Care to try it out?"

"No thank you." Anzu said carefully, giving Yugi a glance, and Yugi nodded.

"We're here to see Hiro, could you ask him to step outside for a moment? It's urgent." Yugi said, trying to keep his voice friendly.

"Ah..." The man with the beard frowned, "That's a familiar name. Let me grab my brother." And he disappeared behind the flaps of the kitchen door.

Yugi and Anzu waited with bated breath as they heard voices softly coming from behind the doorway. Suddenly, Jason strode out from behind the kitchen doors, narrowing his eyes at Yugi and Anzu.

He walked right up to the edge of the counter and crossed his arms firmly, "Hiro quit. It's just me and June-bug back there, so don't go knocking on that door."

Anzu blinked, staring at the manager, who stared resolutely back at them.

Yugi caught a glimpse of the petite brunette girl, peeking her head out from behind the flaps of the kitchen doors.

"Hi June..!" Yugi called lightly, waving casually, eyeing the manager steadily. He heard a squeak and she ducked back inside.

There was a long silence and the bearded man coughed, his eyes darting between Jason and Anzu.

"Did you fire him?" Anzu asked coldly, crossing her arms as well, feeling Yugi shift uncomfortably beside her.

"He...was...given an opportunity." Jason said delicately, throwing a glance behind his shoulder at the kitchen door when he heard Mei bark in the distance.

"What opportunity?" Yugi asked stiffly, crossing his arms too. Had Kaiba gotten to Hiro already? It sounded like they were too late.

"An overseas scholarship at a foreign culinary school." Jason responded shortly, "And that's all I can say. The kid was wasting his talent here anyway."

Anzu narrowed her eyes even further. The last time she spoke with this manager, "that's all I can say", was basically his way of saying , "I know something, but I can't tell you."

"Can you at least tell us which country?" Yugi asked angrily, unfolding his arms and clenching his fists at his sides, no longer able to keep up the polite pretense. That would explain why Yami kept checking his silent phone; Hiro was out of range.

"No can do." Jason said casually, slipping the towel from off his shoulder, "Now either buy something, or kindly get out."

Anzu tightened her grip on her purse strap and glared at the manager. She would've probably gotten more information out of this man if they had spoken alone.

Yugi opened his mouth to retaliate but Anzu grabbed his arm lightly, "Let's go Yugi."

Yugi managed to nod stiffly and they marched out of the bakery. Anzu quickly pulled Yugi around the building and stood him against the wall facing the alleyway.

"Wait here, I'm going back in." Anzu said darkly, "He knows more than he's letting on. I'll see if I can't get any more information out of him before we leave, so wait for me here, okay?"

Yugi swallowed tightly and nodded, sliding his hand into his pocket to grip his phone as he watched Anzu hurry off.

Anzu pushed the glass doors open forcefully and strode inside, relieved to see that the manager was still standing behind the counter, their backs facing the door, talking in a hushed whisper with the bearded man.

She approached the counter quietly and caught one phrase, " Mr. Kaiba..." And she froze, her keys slipping out of her hand and landing onto the tiled floors with a loud clink.

Jason whirled around frantically and glared at Anzu, "Missy, how much of that did you hear?"

Anzu swallowed nervously, swaying slightly on the spot, "I heard..enough. Have a good day." And she quickly picked up her keys and ran out of the bakery, making her way back towards the alleyway where Yugi stood, staring at his phone.

"Don't! Don't text Yami!" Anzu cried, reaching out to grab Yugi's wrist.

"I wasn't..!" Yugi responded, looking stricken. He was just about to. "Were you kicked out?"

Anzu shook her head, her hair swishing from side to side as she responded hastily, "Kaiba definitely has something to do with it. They were talking about him when I walked in."

Yugi frowned deeply, gripping his phone so tightly his knuckles hurt. Kaiba was purposely going out of his way to hurt Yami...!

"Yeah, who else has enough money to send him away with a "scholarship" to a foreign country?" Yugi exclaimed angrily, "This has Seto Kaiba written all over it!"

Anzu nodded, "And that may not even be true! He could still be in Japan, and that manager is being paid to lie about it. Point is, if Yami finds out Hiro may have left the country without warning, that might hurt him a lot..."

Yugi nodded, feeling a bubble of dread rising up in his chest. He wanted to tell Yami as soon as possible. He hated keeping secrets from Yami; the guilt would slowly eat him alive.

They hurried across campus and towards the parking lot, and Yugi tried his best to console himself. They had reached Anzu's car and Yugi pulled the passenger-side door open a little too hard.

He would carefully monitor Yami's behavior before deciding if he ought to tell him about Hiro's vanishing act.

* * *

Yami sat on the park bench a few feet away from the play area, watching several children run circles around the structure, giggling and playing tag.

He looked up into the sky which was turning a beautiful light pink. The sun was beginning to set and he lowered his head, staring at his phone on his lap. It had been silent the entire afternoon.

Yugi and Anzu had burst into the game shop, looking slightly breathless, insisting he take the rest of the afternoon off to enjoy the sunshine, to which he gladly obliged. So he had been on this bench for a few hours already.

The sun had warmed his knees when he first sat down, and there had been a different group of children playing on the set. Now, the sun had dipped down low in the sky, and few rays of orange were peeking out from behind the trees surrounding the grassy area where he sat, quietly waiting.

Yami knew Hiro wasn't going to show up, but he didn't have the heart to keep checking his phone. He knew he would just see the same texts over and over.

Kaiba had just rounded the corner, carefully making his way down the sidewalk, passing the play structure, his eyes scanning the area methodically searching for a familiar crop of spiky hair.

He spotted Yami in the far corner of the park, sitting on a bench, his head hanging forwards, moodily staring at his knees.

Kaiba grit his teeth and made his way quietly forwards, quickly counting the children on the play structure, thankful there were only about four, with two sets of parents hanging off to the side.

 _Well, here goes_ , Kaiba thought, resolutely striding towards Yami, who was now appearing to be stretching his legs out.

Yami stuck his legs straight out in front of him, staring at the tips of his studded shoes, contemplating walking home. Suddenly, a tall, thin shadow fell across his knees and Yami jumped, looking up suddenly.

Hiro?! No...it was Kaiba!

Kaiba grinned boyishly down at him and leaned forwards, the tips of Yami's spiky blond bangs nearly brushed across his own forehead as he spoke, "Sorry I'm late."

Yami's heart began thudding loudly in his chest as he scrambled to his feet, backing away quickly and gripping his phone tightly behind his back. He shot Kaiba an angry glare, noting that Kaiba was once again dressed casually in a light collared shirt and a pair of dark jeans.

"What are you doing here?" Yami asked coldly, trying to calm the frantic pounding of his heart. The bench was the only thing separating them, but Yami still felt like Kaiba was standing too close.

"You said you wanted to meet up." Kaiba said gleefully, slipping a hand into his pocket and pulling out his phone and swiping towards his messages.

"I said no such thing." Yami snapped, realizing that Kaiba probably _did_ read the texts he sent to Hiro. "And I'm leaving now." He turned to go, not before he felt a cold hand wrap around his wrist.

"Don't touch me." Yami spat, twisting his way out from Kaiba's grasp, backing away even further. His shoulder hit the chain-link fence behind him with a loud rattle and Yami felt his face heat up furiously. The only way Kaiba knew he was here was if he had read the text he had sent Hiro this afternoon!

Kaiba held up his phone, his slender fingers gripping the edges loosely as he spoke casually, "Maybe you should check the recipient before hitting send. Were you expecting someone else?"

Yami blinked, staring at the screen on Kaiba's phone. He could clearly see his own words reflected back at him, the text bubble glowed brightly and began to blur in his vision. How was this possible?!

Yami carefully lifted his phone up to his face and slid the screen open with a shaking finger. Kaiba's name was at the very top of his messages, and he could read the first few words he had sent.

A wave of horror and embarrassment crashed over him and Yami slowly felt himself melt into the concrete beneath his feet. In his bored, sleepy haze, he had accidentally sent the message to Kaiba!

"Well, that was a mistake." Yami said, trying to keep his voice firm. He stared and stared at his phone, but all he could see was the outline of Kaiba standing in front of him, undoubtedly smirking triumphantly.

"I'm sure it was." Kaiba said lightly, stepping forwards and leaning his back against the chain-link fence as well, feeling the metal bend slightly against his back. He crossed his arms firmly across his chest, in an effort to keep his hands to himself.

Yami didn't move. He felt the fence bend and creak against the pressure of Kaiba's back. He was leaning too close; their shoulders were almost touching.

He lowered his phone and his arms hung down at his sides. It was always Kaiba..somehow...Kaiba was managing to replace Hiro at every turn.

 _I suppose I could be glad_ _he's making such a huge effort to spend time with me_ , Yami thought bitterly, _Kaiba is usually unreachable. But he's making himself available, out of spite...and hatred towards Hiro._

"I'm going home." Yami said shortly, leaning up off the fence and shoving his phone furiously back into his pocket. He heart was beating so fast it was making him feel dangerously light headed.

"Already? We could go for dinner?" Kaiba said, making a huge effort to keep his tone light. He knew Yami was angry, but he was standing so close, closer than he had been in a while, Kaiba couldn't resist reaching out to place a hand on Yami's shoulder. "Please?"

Yami paused, feeling his knees grow weak from the pressure of Kaiba's hand on his shoulder. Did the word "please" just come out of Kaiba's mouth?

"No." Yami responded darkly, and he steeled himself to keep walking forwards.

Kaiba blinked, heating up suddenly as his vision slowly began to turn red. Reading texts from Yami that said "no" felt completely different from actually hearing him say "no", while standing in front of him. And it hurt a lot more in person.

Everything felt as though it was moving in slow motion as Kaiba reached a hand out to grab Yami by the arm, pulling him backwards forcefully, straight into the chain-link fence.

There was a loud rattle as Yami's back hit the fence and his eyes widened in shock, his mouth half-parted in surprise.

Kaiba took this chance to bring his lips down with a bruising force against Yami's mouth, kissing him roughly.

Yami winced as Kaiba's teeth pressed painfully into his top lip and he struggled to draw a breath, but only managed to inhale the scent of Hiro's cologne mixed in with the light scent of coffee.

It was an incredibly arousing combination and Yami felt his legs threatening to give out completely from under him when he felt Kaiba press his tongue firmly in through his teeth.

The fence was poking into this back as Yami struggled to push Kaiba away, but Kaiba persisted, bringing a hand up to thread through the back of Yami's spiky hair, bringing their lips closer together.

Kaiba shut his eyes, relishing in the feel of Yami's body pushed up tightly against his, tasting him deeply, feeling him gasp into the kiss.

"Sto-" Yami tried to pull away, but it only made Kaiba pull him in deeper, his tongue shoved insistently into his mouth, licking the roof of his mouth erotically. Yami felt the ground dip violently beneath him as his mind began spinning frantically.

He gripped Kaiba's shirt tightly, his nails digging into his well-muscled arm. They were in a public place!

Yami gathered all of his strength and bit down on Kaiba's lip, shoving him away brutally. Kaiba stumbled back and cursed, bringing the back of his hand to his mouth, tasting blood.

Yami gripped the fence behind him for support, steadying himself, his ears ringing violently as his vision blurred dangerously.

Kaiba felt his head pound painfully as his heart thudded loudly in his chest, his lips swelling heavily with pain and need. Damn, Yami was stronger than he looked.

"Stop it!" Yami said viciously, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, still tasting Kaiba on the tip of his tongue, "Stop trying...just stop! I know what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work."

Yami pushed himself off the fence and brushed past Kaiba furiously, "You're trying to replace Hiro, and that's not going to happen. Leave him alone, let him live his life. I stand by what I said earlier-you and I, are nothing."

And he stalked off, dimly aware that the play area was now dark and deserted, with only a few streetlamps lighting his way down the sidewalk.

Kaiba felt an immense wave of nausea consume him as he heard Yami's footsteps fading away into the distance. A searing pain ripped through his chest and he doubled over, leaning a knee down onto the cold concrete. The fabric of his jeans rubbed against his leg roughly, chafing his skin painfully.

Kaiba managed to stand up slowly, his head spinning violently, his breathing ragged and heavy. He glared at the play structure, their bright colors muted as darkness began to settle around him completely.

He sat down heavily on the bench, his arms and legs shaking and trembling with emotion.

Kaiba felt as though he was at the end of his rope. He had done everything, from dressing like Hiro, acting like Hiro, to kissing Yami like Hiro; he was even consistently wearing Hiro's cologne! He had even repeated his actions as Hiro, and they all seemed to be backfiring, each one faster than the last.

This only seemed to further solidify Yami's belief that he was trying to "replace Hiro." Jesus fucking Christ.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and Kaiba slid it out of his pocket with a heavy hand. It was Mokuba.

"Hey big brother, are you..." Kaiba clicked it off, unable to read further.

He needed to shut his feelings off and think.

* * *

Yami stumbled in through the door, almost tripping on his own feet in a haze of angry tears. The game shop was completely dark, and there was only a tiny sliver of light coming in from the adjacent door; he could hear Yugi and Anzu's laughter coming from behind it.

They sounded like they were a million miles away.

Yami shut the door behind him and stood in the middle of the dark game shop, watching the shadows from the board-games and chess sets hover in the corners of his vision as hot tears slid down his face. He felt his legs give out finally, and his knees hit the floor painfully.

He ignored the stinging shock of pain riveting up his legs as he palmed his face, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

All he wanted...was closure.

All he wanted, was to know that Hiro was safe, and he hadn't been hurt by Kaiba in any way. He wanted to know if Hiro could return his feelings. If he couldn't, then Yami would accept it and walk away.

But everything was hung in a strange limbo, between Kaiba and Hiro.

Kaiba was even beginning to smell like Hiro, and that was the worst, most confusing part.

Yami felt his eyes beginning to swell and sting from the continuous stream of tears, but he couldn't seem to find a way to stop. He held his breath, and felt himself heave violently, his chest constricting painfully as he repressed a sob.

There was a click and suddenly the lights flickered on, stinging his eyes even further.

Yami heard simultaneous gasps and the rushing of feet across the floor, and Yugi's arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders. Yugi pressed Yami's face into shoulder as another shuddering sob shook Yami's slender frame.

"Oh..no, Yami please tell us what's wrong..!" Anzu cried, sitting down on the floor beside him, sounding extremely distressed.

Yugi said nothing and held him even tighter.

Yami tensed, bracing for another violent, heaving sob, and he rocked back and forth on his heels slightly before speaking, "Kaiba.."

Yugi let go of him suddenly and cupped his face in his hands, "You spoke with Kaiba? What did he say?"

Yami grit his teeth, taking in another slow, shuddering breath, "He keeps showing up everywhere. And he doesn't say much."

 _It's all in his actions,_ Yami thought furiously, as he suddenly remembered the heat from Kaiba's lips against his. He curled his fingers into his palms tightly, his nails digging into his skin.

Yugi exchanged a look with Anzu, and Anzu shook her head.

Yugi nodded insistently. Tell him!

And Anzu shook her head fervently...don't tell him!

"Yami I have some information on Hiro's whereabouts." Yugi said firmly, gripping Yami by the shoulders, looking him straight in the eye.

Anzu held her breath and gripped the sides of her face, silently praying.

"Tell me." Yami said, quickly palming a stray tear from off his cheek.

"Anzu and I stopped by the bakery today, and the manager told us Hiro had quit." Yugi said quickly, desperate to get the bad news over with. "I already had a feeling because all the cakes in the display looked different already!"

Yami felt his mouth go dry, "When?" He whispered, gripping his knees tightly, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket. He ignored it.

Yugi shook his head and shrugged, looking to Anzu for help.

"Probably ..recently." Anzu said emptily, looking at her hands folded in her lap, "I heard the manager mention Kaiba's name while he spoke with the new employee. It turns out Kaiba probably sent him overseas...with a scholarship to a culinary school. They wouldn't tell us which country."

"I'm guessing because they couldn't." Yugi said stiffly, feeling Yami shoulders sag in his grasp. "But this explains why he's not getting your messages! He's out of range...or he has a new phone. Knowing Kaiba, he might've made sure of that."

Yami blinked and blinked, staring at the floor, his eyes burning. He was expecting more tears, but his eyes remained dry. He was all cried out.

"He might still be in Japan." Anzu said hopefully, "I'm pretty sure the manager was being paid to lie about it."

"I see." Yami said heavily, still blinking rapidly as his phone buzzed in his pocket again.

"Let's get you upstairs, okay?" Yugi said gently, standing up and holding an outstretched hand down towards Yami.

Yami lifted his head and slowly gripped Yugi's hand, feeling his warmth give him strength. He stood fluidly, and watched as Anzu rose to stand beside him quietly.

"Thank you." Yami said quietly, giving Yugi's hand a reassuring squeeze, feeling Yugi grip his hand tightly in response.

He let Yugi lead him into the house and out of the dark game shop, with Anzu following closely behind them.

* * *

Kaiba lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, the smell from Hiro's cologne floated up around him, threatening to suffocate him. He rolled over and tucked the pillow beneath his chin as he stared at his phone.

He had sent Yami two texts, but Yami either hadn't had a chance to read them yet, or he was purposely being ignored.

Yami was propped upright in his bed, with the lights all still on in the room. Yugi was sitting across from him, laptop in his lap, his fingers clicking across the keys lightly. It seemed like Yugi was staying awake with him.

Yami eased himself further down into the covers and reached for his phone. He slid the screen aside and realized to his immense irritation, that he had two texts from Kaiba.

He snuck a glance over at Yugi, who seemed to be paying him no attention, and he began to read. They were short texts.

The first one read, "I'm sorry."

The second one beneath that read, "I love you."

Yami blinked, feeling his head grow light as he drew in a breath sharply.

Yugi looked up quickly, "What."

Yami shook his head and gripped his phone tightly, feeling himself heat up so much his fingertips tingled.

"What?" Yugi said, frowning, "Can I see?"

Yami shook his head again and pressed the phone screen-down towards his chest, his heart racing a thousand beats per minute. Kaiba was just being ridiculous.

Yugi set his computer down and made his way over towards Yami's bed. He crawled onto the mattress and held his hand out firmly, "Give it."

Yami nodded weakly and handed his phone over, biting his lip slightly, watching Yugi's reaction carefully.

Yugi's eyes widened as he read the texts, then they narrowed, and then he handed the phone back with a deep frown, "Is he being serious? This isn't something you just..say over a text message. Kaiba's sense of humor can be a bit twisted sometimes..I'm sure you know that."

Yami nodded, feeling hot and cold all over at the same time. He had a feeling Kaiba wasn't joking around this time, but he kept that thought to himself.

Yugi crawled off the bed and climbed back onto his own mattress. "Well, you can decide how you want to handle Kaiba. Honestly, this whole situation is concerning. I trust you, Yami." And he pulled the laptop back onto his crossed legs, continuing to type slowly.

Yami grew lightheaded again, his ears ringing loudly as he read the texts over and over.

He tapped Kaiba's name and the screen went white, showing three buttons; the green call button, a blue video button, and ...the red block button.

Yami hit the red button without hesitation and he slipped his phone underneath his pillow. This was a surefire way to incite a fresh bout of rage from the CEO. Being blocked, with the possibility of never receiving a reply until Yami decided when they should speak again, solidified his threats. They were not friends, or enemies. They were nothing.

They were not speaking again until Hiro re-appeared. If this didn't make Kaiba reconsider his actions regarding Hiro, Yami didn't know what else he could do.

Yami rolled over and pulled the covers over his head, closing his tired eyes, he felt himself drift off.

* * *

It was 3AM and Kaiba was still waiting for a reply. He decided to send a third message, because why the hell not.

He was already out of options and this was his last attempt at eliciting any sort of significant reaction from Yami.

"Yami, please respond." And he sent it.

The text came up grey, as opposed to it's usual black.

Kaiba blinked.

A strange pressure was building behind his eyes, causing a loud, unpleasant ringing in his ears when he realized what the grey text meant.

Yami had blocked him.

Yami...had blocked him!

He had read the texts, and then ..fucking..blocked him!

Kaiba felt an alien rage rearing it's ugly head from deep within him as he slowly got up off the bed and stormed over to his desk drawer. He slid a shaking thumb over the sensor and heard the lock click.

He dove his hand inside and pulled out Hiro's phone, staring intently at the screen. He had vowed he wouldn't check this phone, but goddammit, he had already tried every single damn thing he could think of!

He furiously held the power button down firmly and watched as his logo flashed across the screen.

Suddenly, a huge flurry of texts began bombarding the phone as it switched on.

The phone vibrated violently in Kaiba's hand as text after text came flooding across the screen, all of them, from Yami.

Kaiba felt the floor tilt beneath him dangerously and he sat down heavily in his chair, still watching as the phone screen lit up repeatedly, receiving message after message.

How often did Yami text Hiro?! Kaiba could see the dates as the messages flashed by, counting the days. It was every night, and every day, some messages long, some of them short.

Finally, the phone quieted down, and Kaiba slid a trembling finger across the screen, holding his breath.

The earliest unread message dated back to last week. Kaiba swallowed thickly as he began to scan the texts, feeling his anger rise to an insurmountable level.

_"Hiro..._

_I am aware it may be my fault that you're in a difficult situation, and you may not be able to respond. Please don't worry about me, I'm doing well!.."_

The next text read:

_" Where were you? I missed you today. I waited for you all day by the..."_

And the text after that read:

_"I'm thinking about you constantly, I've been having trouble sleeping..."_

And the text after that read:

_"Kaiba and I are currently not on good speaking terms._

_I will try my best to help you from afar, and when you find the time to respond, I will be here waiting for you."_

And the text after that read:

_"Wherever you are, I hope you are safe and happy..."_

Kaiba sat back in his seat, shaking with rage and humiliation. He slammed a fist down across his desk, feeling the pain resonate up his arm slowly.

Could Yami shut the fuck up about Hiro...for two goddamn seconds?!

 _That's it_ , Kaiba thought bitterly, _Hiro fucking wins. Yami has seen me make an enormous effort to connect with him, and in the end he still chooses Hiro! Why?!_

Kaiba palmed his face, his head throbbing painfully as he stood up slowly and sat down along the side of his bed.

 _Godammit_ , Kaiba cursed to himself, throwing himself back onto the mattress, his eyes blurring dangerously at the corners again.

He placed a heavy arm over his eyes and felt himself drifting off slightly, his consciousness wavering in and out before he finally fell asleep.

* * *

**Author's note:**

One more chapter left! Thank you all who have followed this story closely so far! I appreciate every single one of your comments and critiques!

Thank you Seket for your edits! They help so much!

**Next Chapter Preview:**

Kaiba looked around his room, catching a glimpse of himself in the full length mirror beside his closet.

A tall stranger with dark hair flipped up high, and dressed casually in comfortable clothes, stared back at him.

Kaiba felt himself heat up uncomfortably as he looked away from his reflection, unsettled.

This was who Yami saw and this was who Yami liked.

A dressed-down version of himself with dark hair and brown eyes.

Fine. Whatever. He would do it. If it meant he could hear Yami's laugh and see his beautiful smile, he would fucking do anything.


	17. I can't go back to the way I used to be

Kaiba felt his phone buzzing beneath his pillow and he yanked it out, silencing it sleepily.

He kept his eyes tightly shut, willing his mind to remain blank. When had he fallen asleep last night? He had no idea. He felt like he hadn't slept in years.

He rolled over and clicked his phone on. It was 4:30AM, and there were no messages from Yami. Again. Why?

Wait. Kaiba groaned to himself, pressing a knuckle into the center of his brow, feeling a headache coming on, remembering that Yami had blocked him.

That thought hit him hard and Kaiba sat up slowly, pushing the covers off his body.

 _Fine. If all Yami wants is Hiro, then goddammit, he'll fucking get Hiro!_ Kaiba fumed, getting off the bed and striding into the bathroom to grab the bottle of black hair dye from the topmost shelf.

He glared at himself in the mirror for a moment before squeezing a generous glob of black dye into the center of his palm. He watched the liquid slowly pool across his skin, seeping into the little lines of his palm.

Kaiba tried not to think too much about it as he ran the product through his hair with a practiced hand. He felt the cold liquid touch his scalp and he winced, quickly stripping himself and stepping into the shower.

Kaiba watched the water rush around the drain, waiting for it to run clear. The reasons for why he was becoming Hiro were now more blurred than ever.

His original intentions no longer mattered, because thoughts of Yami had consumed him, influencing all of his actions as Hiro.

Kaiba shut the water off slowly, his body heavy with doubt and anxiety. He grabbed a towel and dried himself off hastily, wondering how he could artfully dodge Yami's questions about his "disappearance". Would Yami be angry? He was clearly worried and it was very obvious, given all the late-night texts he had sent to Hiro's silent phone.

Kaiba leaned over the sink and slipped a packet of brown contacts out from the drawer. He peeled the seal back carefully and stared at the small oval films floating in the solution. This was all it took. Contacts in his eyes, and two minutes in the shower.

Kaiba shook his head angrily and dipped a finger into the shallow pan, lifting a contact up and tapping it into his eye. He blinked, feeling the familiar cold film bubble and settle over his cornea.

Was Yami's obsession with Hiro purely based on his appearance? Was it because he preferred the black hair and brown eyes?

A tiny voice in the back of Kaiba's head screamed at him, telling him that wasn't the case. Yami wasn't shallow...at least, Kaiba didn't think so.

Uncertainty gnawed at him as he slipped the other contact in his eye and leaned his head back, blinking.

He remembered Yami's dazzled expression when the blue-eyed maitre d' smiled at him, and Kaiba tightened his grip over the edge of his marble sink. He couldn't figure it out, for the life of him, why Yami still preferred Hiro!

 _Or I'm just overthinking it, as usual._ Kaiba thought bitterly, reaching for the hair wax and unscrewing the lid carefully. The light, floral scent from the wax drifted up and he dipped a slender finger into the product, rubbing it through his palms easily.

He quickly ran his wax-covered fingers through his hair, pulling it up high and away from his brow, leaving a few strands along the sides of his ears, framing his cheekbones nicely.

Kaiba sighed and leaned back, smoothing the rest of the product down across the back of his hair.

 _Maybe, Yami does prefer me like looking this,_ Kaiba thought as he turned his head from side to side in the mirror, checking for brown roots, noticing how his jaw looked sharper when his hair was pulled away from his brow.

Leaning away from his reflection, he automatically reached up and grabbed the bottle of cologne, spritzing himself twice around the neck.

Kaiba then hurried over towards his closet, hastily stepping into a pair of white jeans and pulling on a dark grey, v-necked shirt. He slipped on a pair of black canvas shoes and hesitated as his fingers curled around one of his belts bearing his logo.

Kaiba withdrew his hand and grabbed his leather bag instead, patting the pockets carefully, making sure the key to Hiro's apartment was still inside. Satisfied, he swung the bag over his shoulder and picked his company phone up from the bed.

He walked over to his desk and snatched up Hiro's phone, firmly shoving it into his other pocket. There. Now, was he missing anything? Kaiba looked around his room, catching a glimpse of himself in the full length mirror beside his closet.

A tall stranger with dark hair flipped up high, dressed casually in comfortable looking clothes, stared back at him.

Kaiba felt himself heat up uncomfortably as he looked away from his reflection, unsettled.

This was who Yami saw and this was who Yami liked.

A dressed-down version of himself with dark hair and brown eyes.

Fine. Whatever. He would do it. If it meant he could hear Yami's laugh, and see his beautiful smile, he would fucking do anything.

Kaiba hurried out the door and quietly made his way down the grand staircase and into the garage. He swept his eyes over the roofs of his luxury cars; they gleamed back at him in the semi-darkness as his eyes landed on the one at the far right.

He strode over to it quickly and tucked himself neatly behind the wheel. He watched in the rear-view mirror as the garage door slid upwards, the sun streaming into the garage intrusively, stinging his eyes.

Blinking, Kaiba backed out carefully and sped off his property, gripping the wheel tightly as he eased the car past several lights and onto the freeway. He stayed under the speed limit, keeping his eyes peeled for that damn cop who pulled him over last time.

The scenery whizzed past as the sky began to brighten even more, the sun rising over the tips over a line of rounded trees lining an exit. He was nearing the university.

Kaiba threw a half-hearted glance over his shoulder as he pulled into the next lane, easing the car through the exit ramp.

Suddenly, he saw a pair of red-and-blue lights flashing in his rear-view and heard the short blip of a siren. Cursing, Kaiba gripped the wheel even tighter and ignored it, hoping the cop would pass him by. Why was he being pulled over again?! He was driving under the limit!

The cop's car pulled even closer, almost kissing his bumper as he turned the corner. The flashing red and blue lights reflected threateningly off of the mirrors as the siren trilled in his ears again. Shit...! Why?!

Kaiba pulled the car to a stop by the curb, his ears ringing, his head pounding. He wasn't in the mood for this bullshit. This would be the second time he was being pulled over, dressed as Hiro, and if it was the same cop, he would be royally fucked.

Letting his breath out in a hiss between clenched teeth, Kaiba laid his hands obediently on the wheel, watching in the mirror as the cop exited the vehicle. Well just his fucking luck, it _was_ the same cop who had pulled him over last time.

He kept his gaze facing resolutely forwards as he heard a genial knock on his window. Kaiba slowly lowered a hand off the steering wheel and pressed a button, rolling his window down all the way.

"Good morning officer." Kaiba said politely, keeping his gaze fixed on the empty road in front of him.

"Good morning to you too." The officer said, leaning back, keeping his hands on his belt, "I was just checking in on you. I remember you were driving dangerously last we spoke."

Kaiba nodded stiffly and gripped the wheel tightly. Was the cop going to ask him for identification this time around?

"Alright kid, just making sure all is well with you. I've seen you whizz by, dangerously, on more than one occasion, but I've never gotten a clear look at your plates. I ran your plates the other day..." The officer said casually, "I pulled them off the feed from my dash-cam on one of my slow days."

FUCK! Kaiba cursed internally, willing his face to remain emotionless. He forced himself to nod again, bracing himself for what the cop would say next.

"I haven't found your dog," The cop said lightly, "In fact, there was only one breed of dog, which you described, who had already been reported as stolen, almost 6 months ago. And that one was male."

 _Mei's brother_ , Kaiba thought darkly, nodding stiffly again, his eyes beginning to water as he continued to stare at the road in front of him.

"I don't appreciate being lied to, to get out of a ticket," The cop continued, "But what's even more strange, is that this car is registered to Seto Kaiba. You know who he is, kid?"

 _Yeah, I fucking know who he is,_ Kaiba thought viciously as he nodded again. The less he spoke, the better. Damn, he might need to call his fucking lawyer. This was turning out to be a shitty morning already.

"So," The cop bent down and leaned his head towards Kaiba's face, squinting at him, "I pulled you over today, to give you five tickets. One for lying to me, the other four for speeding, all the other times I've seen you do it. And if you wish to dispute it in court, I would be more than happy to submit the video feeds as evidence."

 _Well shit_ , Kaiba thought, as an arrogant laugh threatened to burst out from his chest. This cop was using him to meet all of his ticket quotas for the fucking year. That's fine. He would pay it if it meant the cop would just shut the fuck up and let him go already.

Kaiba felt himself nod stiffly as he looked up into the cop's face for the first time, noticing the cop was looking at him strangely, and Kaiba realized the man wasn't finished speaking.

"The only problem I have with all of this," The cop said, swallowing visibly, "Is that you look nothing like Seto Kaiba, but you're driving his car consistently, every morning. So, I'd like to ask, who you are, and I'd like to see the car's papers, and your identification, now, please."

Fun...Kaiba thought darkly and he nodded, slipping his hands off the wheel carefully.

He shifted in his seat to pull out his wallet, flipping it open and slipping out two cards from the leather folds; his ID and a business card.

The cop reached in through the window and lifted the wallet out from Kaiba's fingers, staring at the ID, turning it in the light, checking it for signs of counterfeit.

He pulled a scanner out from his belt and ran it across the top. Kaiba blinked, watching as the scanner beeped loudly and the cop's grip tightened around the handle.

"Well, the ID is real..." The cop said, handing the wallet and two cards back to him. Kaiba accepted them slowly and began reaching across the divider and into the glove box.

"Wait," The cop said sternly, "I'm having a hard time believing you. You're not...are you, really? Seto Kaiba?"

Kaiba leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms across his chest, looking up at the cop, "How else do you want me to prove it to you? I could call your precinct and demand that they give you a raise, or a promotion. Would you like that?"

The cop blinked at him.

"Or you can write me the five tickets...no, ten!" Kaiba said, his fury rising quickly. "Or fifty, however many you wish. The money will go to the city anyway. And I practically own the city, so I will pay them all gladly."

"I see." The cop said stiffly, crossing his arms firmly across his chest, "I believe you now, there's no need for that."

"What?" Kaiba fumed, uncrossing his arms and resting them on his knees. Was this cop fucking with him?! What the hell!

"I was having a hard time believing you, because you were being so incredibly polite." The cop said blandly, adjusting his cap, "Aside from the lie about the dog, you were actually very likeable. And I don't like you very much."

 _The feeling is mutual_ , Kaiba growled internally, placing his hands back on the wheel. Now, could he fucking leave?!

The cop turned to walk away and Kaiba couldn't believe it. The cop wasn't going to write him the tickets! But he wasn't going to take being accused of lying about the dog.

Kaiba stuck his head out the window and shouted, "I was serious about the dog!"

The cop pulled the door to his cruiser open and shouted back with equal force, "And you will get a call when we find him!"

Kaiba watched as the cop backed up and sped away from the curb, it's lights still flashing angrily as the cruiser disappeared around the corner ahead of him.

 _Good fucking riddance_ , Kaiba thought furiously as he pulled away from the curb quickly and sped down the road, purposely gunning it at the yellow light as a special fuck-you to the cop who was tucked away somewhere along the block, undoubtedly watching him.

He turned into the narrow street leading up to the employee spot behind the bakery and he parked, lurching forwards slightly as the car stopped heavily in the spot.

Kaiba heard a dog bark loudly and Mei came bounding up the alleyway, with no leash, again.

Sighing heavily, he got out of the car and slammed the door, watching her paw him excitedly. Kaiba leaned down and gave her a firm rub across her head and she barked loudly in his face.

Kaiba turned his head away, wincing. He heard footsteps rushing up the alleyway and he stayed low, keeping his knee on the ground with a firm hand around Mei's shoulders. He could feel her powerful muscles beneath all of her white fluff.

Jason and June's shadows fell across the ground in front of him as they came running up, the light clinking of the leash hitting against June's leg sounded louder than usual.

"Oh..look who it is." Jason said wryly, panting slightly, his hands gripping his knees as he bent down, trying to catch his breath. "Look..who decided ...to show up ...for work, and on time too! What a miracle, Junie, leash that dog already won't you?"

June swayed slightly on the spot, the leash slipping out of her grasp.

Kaiba lifted his head and squinted in the harsh sunlight, looking up at Jason, who had straightened up, staring down at him with his arms folded across his chest.

"Hiro?" June whispered, looking as if she was about to cry, "Or...M-Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba tilted his head at her and smiled slightly, feeling Mei lick his fingers quickly, "Why don't you tell me?" And he reached a hand out, gesturing for the leash. She handed it to him slowly, her arms shaking slightly.

"Well, y-you're Hiro..obviously!" She exclaimed, looking over at her uncle. "But...Uncle J, what do you think?"

"I don't care what he looks like, as long as he shows up on time." Jason said gruffly, turning to head down the alley, shouting over his shoulder, "Apron up, both of you! You're now late!"

Kaiba quickly slipped the leash around Mei's fluffy head and stood up, watching Mei circle his feet, panting loudly.

He handed the leash to June, who took it from him, staring into his face with wide-eyes, "I can't believe I accused Seto Kaiba of being...you! I saw him up close for the first time the other day, and Mei behaves the same way around him..so I thought..." June's voice trailed off as she realized she was rambling.

Kaiba couldn't believe his ears, after all June was the first one to call him Hiro.

"No, you were right." Kaiba said simply, brushing past her and tapping the keys to his car, hearing the locks click firmly, "I am Seto Kaiba."

The words felt strange coming out of his mouth.

He saw June drop Mei's leash and he bent forwards to pick it up, pressing it into her small hands, Kaiba spoke gently, "I'm going to send you a sturdier leash."

She blinked and blinked at him, her eyes watering slightly at the corners.

Kaiba stood up and turned away quickly, hurrying down the alleyway and pulling the back door open swiftly and stepping into the kitchen.

An apron caught him full in the face and Kaiba peeled it off of himself slowly and tied it around his neck, ducking his head down, avoiding eye contact with Jason.

He walked carefully over to the sink and dipped his hands in the water, washing them slowly, feeling Jason's eyes on him, watching his every move. He pumped soap into his palm and continued to rub his hands beneath the water as the silence grew heavier and thicker.

Kaiba shut the water off and grabbed the nearest towel, drying his hands quickly, he flung the towel over his shoulder and moved towards the book of recipes, trying to act as casual as possible.

If Jason wasn't going to say anything, he wouldn't either.

"You owe me an apology young man." Jason said firmly, glaring at him from across the counter, "You can't just disappear for days on end. If you can't make it in, you tell me. You give 24 hours notice. You call or you text. I hate having to drag my brother in here on such a short notice."

Kaiba nodded and slowly flipped a laminated page with great care, "I will you be sure to text you when I can't make it."

Jason blinked and unfolded his arms, "Okay."

Kaiba slipped a few pages out from the book and laid them out across the counter. He moved towards the refrigerator and pulled it open, the cold air hitting him in the face as he bent forwards to grab a stack of eggs.

Jason spoke again, "And I need a verbal confirmation from you. I honestly can't believe my eyes. I need to hear you speak to me, right in my face, tell me who you are."

Kaiba slid the eggs across the counter and straightened up, leaning on the refrigerator door, flashing Jason a charming smile, "I'm Hiro. Don't I look exactly like him?"

And he bent back down, gathering the milk, butter, heavy cream, and what looked like the remnants of shaved chocolate flakes in a tiny glass bowl. He set them all down on the counter and felt the door swing shut behind him with a soft thunk.

Jason was staring at him, looking extremely shaken, "I know you are Seto Kaiba. Don't you play me with that smile and your polite nods. You just shoved your hair upwards and dyed it black. You're not fooling anyone."

"Right." Kaiba said lightly, smirking and enjoying himself immensely. "If you insist."

"Say it." Jason said, his voice wavering slightly as he kept his arms folded across his chest, "I want to hear you say it. Otherwise it's going to bother me until the end of time."

June stepped into kitchen, brushing past the plastic flaps, carrying a tray with two steaming cups of coffee in white porcelain cups. Each cup had a golden rim, and they sat neatly in matching minty-green saucers.

Kaiba had just lowered several large glass bowls onto the counter when he smelled the lovely aroma of slow roasted coffee beans. What was this? Special coffee service?

He bit back a laugh as he flipped open the egg carton and began cracking several eggs methodically into the glass bowl. This was hilarious. Maybe he should've told them who he was sooner, if he had known they slow-roasted their coffee!

"June, what is this?" Jason asked, visibly confused. He moved to push the tray back towards her, "Thank you, but we'll have this later."

"But..it's for..you and Hir-...Mr. Kaiba." June squeaked, and she bowed deeply before rushing away through the flaps of the kitchen door.

Kaiba bit back another laugh as he began whisking the eggs together quickly, the light clinking of his spoon hitting the edge of the bowl filled the room as Jason continued to stare at him.

"I'm not fucking around." Jason said suddenly, sounding angry, "Did you tell June you were Seto Kaiba? Because it took a lot of convincing to tell her otherwise. If you're doing this as a prank, it's not funny."

Kaiba nodded politely again, realizing Jason was contradicting himself a lot.

"Who would you like me to be?" Kaiba asked heavily, flipping a thick pat of butter into the raw egg mixture. This was good practice for whatever the hell Yami was going to throw at him.

 _Who would you like me to be? What would you like me to do? Your fucking majesty,_ Kaiba thought spitefully as he pressed the butter into the eggs, feeling Jason's eyes follow his every movement.

"Who would I like you to be?" Jason echoed incredulously, "This isn't about me! I'm asking you who you are!"

"Fine, then, who do you think I am?" Kaiba asked furiously, beating the eggs so hard they sloshed up against the edge of the bowl. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw June's brown hair swish across the flaps of the kitchen door. She was listening to them argue.

"Well, you look like...Hiro, who happens to share a lot of physical similarities with a certain...local billionaire." Jason said, frowning, "Look, kid I just want to know the truth, is it that hard?"

 _No, the truth isn't hard_ , Kaiba thought furiously to himself. _The truth is preferred, but I would be treated differently, almost immediately. Like right now, with the coffee._

Kaiba paused in his motions and stared down at the bowl, watching the eggs pool together thickly with the butter. Was it really that hard to believe?

"I am, that certain billionaire." Kaiba said vaguely, and he continued whisking. He could see Jason shaking his head in disbelief as he spoke again, "I'm sorry if I led you to believe otherwise."

He grabbed a sieve and tucked it over the bowl, carefully pouring a cupful of flour into it, watching the white powder snow down into the mixture.

"You're sorry?!" Jason repeated, sounding offended, "I'm running a business here, not a circus. One businessman to another, your work ethic is terrible."

"Thank you." Kaiba said readily, nodding and smiling as the flour began piling up underneath the sieve and into the bowl. It seemed like Jason wasn't going to hold back on the criticism.

Jason leaned against the counter heavily, half-glaring at Kaiba, "How did you find Mei? Tell me."

Kaiba nodded complacently, carefully measuring a cup of heavy cream and dumping it into the bowl, speaking casually, "She was found by a friend of mine. A local business owner. She went through five leashes while she was with them, maybe you ought to consider getting her a chain."

He bit back another laugh as he watched Jason sway slightly on the spot, crossing and uncrossing his arms awkwardly, "And is this going to be a thing? You disappearing for a week, and then showing up again without notice?"

Kaiba began whisking the contents of the bowl, watching as the liquid turned a warm ivory color, "I'll be in here as often as needed."  
Kaiba nodded firmly, silently reaffirming it to himself.

He was being selfish with his actions, and bakery needed him for at least another few months before he could properly quit. That much Jason had established with him earlier, before he had been blinded by his feelings for Yami.

"Really." Jason responded sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "We'll see about that, _Hiro_."

And with that, he stormed out of the kitchen, loudly bumping into June, who squeaked and cried out, "Ow..! Uncle J..!"

Kaiba smirked to himself again and he set the whisk down carefully, stepping around the counter and reaching up to grab several cupcake trays from the shelf above.

* * *

Yugi's alarm sounded muffled and Yami slowly lifted an eyelid, watching for movements in the bed across from him. Yugi turned over drowsily and continued sleeping past the alarm.

Irritated, Yami rolled over and buried himself deeper beneath the covers, keeping his eyes tightly shut. How was it morning already?

He heard Yugi's alarm shut off and he sighed into his pillow. His entire body felt heavy. He didn't want to move or think. He slid a hand under his pillow and his fingers wrapped around the cold edge of his phone.

He pulled it out and clicked it on sleepily, checking for messages. There were none.

Yami shut his eyes and tapped on Hiro's name in his messages. He opened his eyes and blinked blearily at the screen, his vision blurring in and out slightly.

A tiny row of text had finally appeared beneath all of his messages.  
_"Read 3:10 AM"_

Yami pried his eyes open and sat up quickly, his heart pounding loudly in his chest.

He stared down at his phone screen again, unable to believe his eyes.  
Hiro had seen his messages! Or...Kaiba had.

Yami's finger's hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he quickly sent Hiro a text, "Hiro? Is that you..?"

Kaiba had just slid several slabs of freshly baked cakes out of the oven before he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He slipped the mitts off his hands quickly and patted his pocket. It was Hiro's phone. Yami was texting him...probably. Who else could it be?

Kaiba hastily shut the oven off and slipped the phone out of his pocket. It _was_ a text from Yami!

He read the text quickly before typing out a one-worded answer, "Yes."

And he slipped the phone back into his pocket, circling the counter hastily and grabbing the decorating pipe Jason had filled for him earlier. Kaiba began dotting cream along the edge of the cake, blinking, trying to keep himself focused on the task in front of him. He would not let Yami's response affect him.

Yami watched as a text bubbled up onto his screen almost immediately.

_"Yes."_

Was this really Hiro?! Yami wondered faintly. It all seemed too perfectly coordinated. The moment he had blocked Kaiba, Hiro was suddenly responding to his messages? And at 3AM too! Didn't Anzu mention something about him being out of the country?

"When can I see you?" Yami typed quickly, nearly misspelling every single word in his excitement. He forced himself to slow down as he re-typed the message accurately before he sent it.

Kaiba set the piping bag down as he heard his phone buzz again. Jason ducked in through the kitchen flaps and scanned the counter, eyeing the rows of neatly decorated cakes aligned across the surface.

His gaze landed on the half-decorated cake in front of Kaiba and he nodded approvingly, "Good to see you haven't missed a beat."

Kaiba nodded stiffly, waiting for Jason to leave. He didn't want to check Yami's message in front of him.

"I want two dozen more cupcakes before you leave." Jason said shortly, turning to exit the kitchen.

Kaiba clenched his fists, feeling his irritation rise. Jason was stacking on the extra tasks on on purpose.

"You never add onto my workload before I leave." Kaiba said stiffly, making a huge effort to keep his tone polite.

"I'm not stopping you from leaving." Jason said shortly, turning a heel and striding out through the flaps.

Kaiba grit his teeth and picked up the piping bag, dotting the cream furiously across the top of the cake. It seemed like Jason was going to stay angry at him for quite some time.

Yami stared at his phone, waiting for it to go off again, wondering why Hiro hadn't responded as quickly this time around. He leapt out of bed and quickly got dressed, taking a seat behind Yugi's desk, crossing his legs nervously, waiting.

Kaiba leaned back and admired his handiwork, spinning the cake once along the turntable, checking for flaws. He set the empty piping bag down onto the counter and sighed.

The warm smell of vanilla rose up around him as he as closed his eyes tiredly. He had poured the remains of the cake batter into two sets of cupcake molds and shoved them into the oven, trying to get it over with as quickly as possible. He was itching to see Yami.

 _Yami! Shit,_ Kaiba cursed, reaching a hand into his pocket and pulling out his phone, realizing he forgot to reply to the text from earlier.

"When can I see yiu?" Yami had written. He had misspelled a word in his haste and Kaiba smirked in spite of himself, carefully constructing his reply.

"Today. Anywhere. Anytime." And he sent it, watching the text bubble up on the screen.

Yami was nodding off in the chair when he felt his phone buzz in his hand. He jerked awake and slid a shaking thumb across the screen, reading the message happily.

Today! Yami blinked, his mind spinning. So Hiro was still in Japan after all! Did that mean he was at the bakery again? Had Kaiba given Hiro back his job?

"Are you at the bakery today?" Yami typed quickly, and he sent it, hearing Yugi's phone ring loudly throughout the room again. He rushed over to Yugi's bed and silenced the phone quickly.  
Grabbing his bag from off the chair, Yami dashed out the door, barely able to contain his excitement.

Kaiba felt his phone buzz in his pocket heard the oven beep at the same time.

He quickly threw the mitts on his hands and pulled the door back, carefully reaching in to extract the pans of cupcakes. He heard a movement behind him and Kaiba willed himself to keep his expression pleasant as he placed the cupcakes onto the counter.

It was June, hovering by one of his beautifully decorated cakes, her eyes wide.

"Can I help you?" Kaiba asked tersely. He was already being overloaded, he wasn't in the mood to take another one of June's requests.

"I just..came in to see how you were doing." June whispered, twisting her apron in her hands, staring at the two cups of untouched coffee sitting on the countertop.

Kaiba realized she was offended because he hadn't touched the coffee she had prepared for him. He quickly moved towards the tray, his slender fingers hooking around the delicate handle of the cup as he lifted it up towards his lips.

The coffee was cold, but Kaiba took a long, visible sip and managed a smile down at her, "I'm doing well." He said quietly, enjoying the dull sweetness from the slow-roasted beans. It was pretty good coffee, even if it was cold.

June blinked slowly at him and ducked her head down, her face reddening slowly, "I'm sorry my uncle is mad at you. Otherwise the coffee would've tasted better hot."

Kaiba smiled, genuinely this time, "I am aware. And this tastes great cold." He paused and then added, "Thank you."

June nodded shyly and Kaiba frowned. He was so used to her being bubbly and carefree, seeing her personality change drastically was concerning.

He turned back to the bowl of cream he had previously made and began spooning large pats of icing into a fresh piping bag, feeling June's eyes watching his every move. Kaiba expertly twisted the bag tightly closed and gestured for June to step closer towards him beside the counter.

He watched her hesitate and he gently lifted a cupcake out of the pan, turning it slowly in his hands as he eased the piping bag over the top, creating a perfect swirl.

June's eyes widened even further and Kaiba handed her the piping bag. She shook her head and backed away slightly, throwing a nervous glance over her shoulder at the kitchen flaps.

Kaiba nodded insistently and wrapped a hand around her wrist, pulling her towards the counter and pressing the bag into her hands. If he could teach June how to pipe the cakes, he would be able to leave sooner.

He felt her resist slightly but he held on firmly, wrapping her fingers around the bag and holding her arms above the pan of cupcakes.

"Like this. Elbows, up high." Kaiba said softly, moving to stand behind her, also glancing nervously behind him at the kitchen flaps when he thought he saw Jason's shadow pass by quickly.

June nodded and blinked rapidly, watching as Kaiba lifted a fresh cupcake out of the pan and set it in front of her. Kaiba wrapped his hands around her smaller ones, feeling her tremble slightly and he spoke again, noticing how the top of her head barely reached the middle of his chest. She was about the same height as Yami.

"Use even pressure, squeeze down..." Kaiba said, pressing down into her hands, feeling her squeeze the bag obediently, watching as a large swirl of cream came oozing out of the metal tip.

"Slowly...you got it? Now just keep doing that." Kaiba said quietly as he let go. He felt June nod and he quickly reached forwards to turn the cupcake as she squeezed, creating another identical swirl right along it's top.

"Wow!" June cried excitedly, smiling brightly up at him, "Can I do another one?"

Kaiba nodded encouragingly and he lifted another fresh cupcake out of the pan. Setting it down gently in front of her, he watched June squeeze the bag firmly with both hands. He gently spun the cupcake beneath the metal tip of the icing bag slowly, watching the cream fall gently in a swirl over it's flat top.

June lifted the tip up gently, letting the cream form a perfect point and she squealed excitedly, throwing him a glowing smile, "When do you think I can decorate with one hand, the way you do?"

"Practice." Kaiba said, grinning boyishly at her, pulling the remaining cupcakes out of the tray.

June nodded enthusiastically and positioned herself above the next cupcake, squeezing slowly as Kaiba spun cupcake beneath the tip of the bag, once again creating another perfect swirl.

Kaiba grabbed the next cupcake and June quickly got the hang of it, evenly swirling cream over the top. She was in mid-squeeze when Jason's voice rang out loudly from behind them, startling them both.

"Get away from her. What are you two doing?" Jason snapped, and Kaiba felt a strong hand yank him backwards forcefully, causing him to lose his grip on the cupcake. It slipped out of his hand and it rolled along the surface, falling flat onto the floor beside June's feet.

June shrieked as the remains of the cream dropped onto the steel countertop and she whirled around, glaring. "That one's wasted!"

Kaiba jerked his hand out of Jason's grasp, his arm smarting painfully from how roughly Jason had pulled him away. What the fuck? He glared at Jason, who glared back at him with extreme hostility.

"What the hell are you doing, standing behind her like that?" Jason fumed, shooting June a slightly fearful glance, "Junie, go back out to the front. I was wondering where you went."

"Hiro was teaching me..!" June exclaimed angrily, pointing at the cupcake on the floor, "Look what you made him do!"

Jason glanced at the cupcake on the floor and at the piping bag in June's hands.

"That's not what it looked like to me." Jason growled, clenching his fists uncharacteristically at his sides.

"What did it look like?" Kaiba asked coldly, dropping all attempts to be polite. If he was going to be treated like a germ, he might as well never come back.

Screw coming in tomorrow, Kaiba fumed privately. Fuck this, I'm leaving.

He tugged his apron off furiously and tossed it onto the counter, feeling Jason's suspicious glare follow him closely.

"Uncle J, don't be like this...come on." June pleaded, still gripping the piping bag tightly, her eyes darting frantically between Kaiba and her uncle.

"Don't touch her again." Jason said threateningly, addressing Kaiba and pointedly ignoring June.

"I like men." Kaiba responded viciously, avoiding eye contact with Jason as he strode angrily towards the back exit, curling his hand around the cold door handle.  
How dare Jason accuse him of...what, hitting on June?!

"Uncle J! You know he likes the Other Yugi!" June cried desperately, reaching out to grab her uncle by the arm. Jason shook her off roughly, still glaring at Kaiba.

"Yeah, or maybe he just likes fucking around. Who knows. Look at him, all dressed up as another person, just so he can mess with people, just so he can make out on that bench with _'the other Yugi'_." Jason said through gritted teeth, eyeing Kaiba's hand on the door handle. "Leave, and don't come back. You're fired."

"Gladly." Kaiba sniffed arrogantly as he swung the door open and made sure to slam it loudly behind him. Fired? He let out a delirious laugh which echoed up and down the alleyway. That was a first.

 _Maybe I'll come in tomorrow, just to show him how much I enjoy messing around,_ Kaiba thought viciously, storming down the alleyway towards his car. He unlocked the doors quickly and tucked himself down behind the wheel, revving the engine furiously.

He backed out of the spot and peeled out of the parking lot, still fuming privately to himself. He knew people hated him; it was actually quite convenient when he was the most unpopular person in the room. People left him alone. But this...this was different. This was irritating.

He had become accustomed to being treated warmly as Hiro, and it was like Jason couldn't retract his actions quick enough the second he found out he was Seto Kaiba. Jason was suddenly quick to judge and quick to blame him for every little thing.

Kaiba felt his phone buzz in his pocket again and he veered off the main road, passing several familiar streets before coming to a full stop behind Hiro's apartment building. Shutting the engine off, Kaiba stared at the stone wall in front of him and felt a familiar pressure building behind his eyes.

Blinking astutely, he leaned back in his seat and pulled out his phone, reading the two texts from Yami.

One was sent thirty minutes ago, "Are you at the bakery?"

The second was sent five minutes ago, "I'll wait for you by the bench, as usual!"

 _Well, you can wait a little longer while I calm the fuck down_ , Kaiba thought darkly, gripping the phone tightly, deciding not to respond just yet.

Yami was sitting underneath the flowery tree, across the street from the bakery, swinging his legs excitedly beneath him. Was Hiro really here today? He stared at the crossing and decided he couldn't wait any longer.

He jumped up off the bench and hurried across the street, just as he saw the petite brunette girl unlocking the front doors. Their eyes met and Yami noticed they were slightly puffy, like she had been crying.

He frowned and hurried forwards, calling out to her as he quickly remembered her name, "June?"

She ducked her head down, embarrassed, and she rushed away, disappearing into the bakery and in through the flaps leading into the kitchen.

Odd, Yami thought as a dark feeling began rising up in his chest. Was she crying?

The bakery's manager came striding out through the flaps, livid.

Yami paused, his heart sinking. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. He glanced at the glass display and realized with a jolt that the cakes looked the same as they did before.

They all had the delicate swirls and puffs of cream and some had the familiar little flowers, sitting along the bottom edges of the cakes. That was definitely Hiro's handiwork, wasn't it?

Suddenly, the manager loomed over him in the doorway, nearly spitting in his face with fury as he spoke, "Hiro's gone. I fired him. He's nothing but trouble."

Yami opened his mouth to speak, his mind racing with so many questions, but the manager had already turned away, moving to stand imposingly behind the counter.

"Why?" Yami managed to ask, feeling his chest tighten uncomfortably, watching the manager slam the cash drawer shut with unnecessary force.

"You best stay away from him if you know what's good for you." The manager said darkly, "Now, buy something, or leave."

Yami found that this voice had left him. He nodded silently and turned away, slipping his phone out from his pocket, sending Hiro a quick text, "Where are you?"

He watched the text bubble up on the screen. The texts blinked and refreshed as the "read" notification appeared beneath it. Hiro hadn't responded to his other two texts, probably due to the rough treatment from the manager. Being associated with Kaiba was always trouble, Yami knew that without a doubt.

Kaiba was drawing the blinds back from the windows when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He slipped it out and read the text.

_"Where are you?"_

Kaiba sighed. Yami had probably went into the bakery to find him, otherwise he wouldn't be asking where he was.

"At...my...apartment." Kaiba spoke as he typed the words out onto the screen, and he sent it, feeling extremely nervous.

If Jason and June's reactions were anything to go by, Yami would probably react ten thousand times worse. He felt a pit of dread rising up from his stomach, swirling together with an unpleasant sensation of nausea.

His phone buzzed again and Yami had written, "I'm on my way. Don't leave."

 _Ha,_ Kaiba thought darkly as he set both of his phones down onto the empty desk by the window, _If I wanted to leave, I would've already left._

He sat himself down nervously on the edge of his bed, crossing his legs tightly, looking around for anything that might be out of place. He quickly stood and went into the bathroom, making sure all the towels and toiletries were all in their place, making it seem like the place looked lived-in.

Kaiba hurried out and set out a couple of cups along the counter, placing a few into the sink, making it seem like they were unwashed.

 _Why the hell am I trying so hard?_ Kaiba fumed to himself, quickly withdrawing his hands away from the sink. _Who am I trying to fool?! This all won't matter ..very soon!_

Yami hurried down the street, farther and farther away from the university. He craned his neck, searching for the familiar stop signs and street signs. He passed another apartment building and he turned a corner, his heart thumping loudly in his ears the closer he got towards Hiro's residence.

 _I'm going to be understanding,_ Yami thought frantically to himself as he almost bumped into another student heading in the opposite direction beside him on the sidewalk. _I won't question where he's been, because we'll have plenty of time to talk more about it later. He was just fired from his workplace. I'm going to be understanding..._

Yami rounded a corner and Hiro's apartment building came rising up in front of him. He rushed up the steps excitedly and dashed through the hallway so quickly, the doors along the walls became a blur.

He eyed the golden number plate on the door of Hiro's apartment and he raised a trembling fist, knocking firmly twice, holding his breath.

Yami heard the sound of light footsteps treading across hardwood floors and the door swung open, and suddenly, Hiro was standing before him, looking handsome as ever. Hiro had his dark hair pulled up high over his brow again, and he looked stressed, the dark shadows beneath his angular eyes were extremely prominent.

"Hiro..!" Yami gasped, his feet rooting to the spot as he froze in shock. He was positive Hiro's messages would've been sent by Kaiba as an elaborate prank, but Hiro was here, standing right before him! Was he dreaming? No, this was real, wasn't it?

Kaiba watched Yami blink at him and his anxiety rose to an all time high as he stepped back to let him in, "Come in."

Yami rushed forwards and threw his arms around Hiro's slender waist, pressing his face deeply into Hiro's well-muscled chest, enjoying the scent of his cologne; this time it was mixed in with the sweet scent of cake batter.

Kaiba stumbled back heavily from the sudden force of Yami's embrace and he gripped the door handle tightly, his legs growing weak. Maybe...he could wait just a little longer before saying anything...

The door swung shut as Kaiba let go of it to lean down and wrap his arms tightly around Yami's slender frame, pressing Yami's body into him so hard, he could feel Yami's belts digging into him painfully.

"I missed you...!" Yami's voice was muffled into his shirt as they clung to each other tightly.

Kaiba felt his heart skip a beat and he responded without hesitation, "I missed you too." Truth.

"Did you think about me?" Yami asked, looking up in Kaiba's light brown eyes, blinking hopefully.

Kaiba's stomach turned unpleasantly as he answered truthfully again, "Yes. Every day."

Kaiba felt Yami's grip tighten on his shirt and he braced himself for what Yami was going to say next.

"I have so many new things to tell you." Yami said, his eyes growing wet at the corners as he jutted up on his tiptoes and reached up, tightly linking his arms around Hiro's neck.

"I'm ...sure you do." Kaiba responded, his mouth going dry as Yami's forehead passed dangerously close to his lips. Blonde bangs were tickling his nose and Kaiba held himself back tremendously. He wanted to bury his face into Yami, anywhere he could reach, and never come up for air.

His eyes lingered across Yami's delicate face, his mouth was moving, and his lips looked so plump and soft. Kaiba ached to kiss him. Yami hadn't willingly come this close to him, in a long while.

Yami was frowning at him.

Kaiba swallowed tightly as he licked his lips nervously, "I'm sorry, what?"

Yami suddenly looked deeply offended and his arms were beginning to slide off from around his neck. Panicking, Kaiba strengthened his grip around Yami's slender hips and apologized again, "I'm really sorry. I didn't catch that, could you please repeat it?"

Yami blinked and wavered for a moment before repeating himself, "I said...I've been wanting to tell you...that, I think...I'm in love with you."

Kaiba blinked, his breath hitching painfully in his chest. He forgot himself for a moment and he leaned down to press his lips warmly across Yami's forehead, his head spinning. "Really?" Kaiba whispered, feeling a shiver run through his body.

Yami loved him? That was all he wanted to hear. That was all he needed to hear.

He felt Yami nod against his lips and warm hands traveled up to gently cup his face. Yami gazed deeply into his eyes and Kaiba felt himself sway on the spot, mesmerized.

"Really." Yami said firmly. He blinked once, and suddenly, Kaiba felt Yami's lips on his, open, hungry, needy.

Yami's sweet, heated breath set his entire being on fire and Kaiba lost what little was left of his self control. He slid his hands up along Yami's body and pushed him roughly up against the wall, kissing him back with equal ferocity.

Yami gasped into the kiss as he felt his back hit the wall painfully and he reached up to slip his hands through Hiro's perfectly waxed hair. He had always wanted to muss up his hair, and now was his golden chance.

Kaiba felt Yami's hands tangle into his hair, grabbing and pulling insistently and he pressed himself deeper into Yami, tasting him fully. He felt Yami gasp slightly and he took this opportunity to slide his tongue erotically in and out of Yami's mouth.

Yami squirmed and his body heated up instantly, causing his head to spin and his vision to blur.

"Wait...!" Yami managed to speak between rough kisses and Kaiba pulled back slightly, trailing his lips down Yami's slender neck, burying his nose into Yami's collarbone, giving it a playful bite.

Kaiba looked up, his head heavy with lust. He felt like he was forgetting something as well.

"What is it?" He asked hoarsely, feeling his breath grow ragged with anticipation. Everything about Yami tasted sweet, his mouth, his skin, and Kaiba couldn't bring himself to wait another second. He lowered his head and began licking and sucking the tender spot behind Yami's ear and Yami laughed as the sensation tickled.

With Yami's laugh ringing in his ears, Kaiba grazed his teeth across the shell of Yami's ear, flicking his tongue out teasingly, enjoying every single one of Yami's reactions thoroughly. Kaiba felt Yami press upwards, away from the wall to wrap a warm hand around his wrist and pull him steadily towards the bed.

Bed? Yes. He couldn't agree more.

Yami let out another soft laugh which morphed into a surprised gasp as Hiro lifted him up strongly and carried him over to the bed. Yami hitched his legs firmly around Hiro's waist and kissed him lightly on the cheek, nuzzling his nose along Hiro's ear, licking along the curve sensually, mimicking Hiro's tongue flick.

Kaiba felt Yami's breath and tongue graze his ear, causing a shiver run through his body as he carefully lowered Yami down onto the mattress. God, he wanted to bury his dick into Yami's ass so badly.

Kaiba reached a hand around and gave Yami's ass a firm squeeze, and Yami trembled excitedly, crying out suddenly, "H-Hiro..!"

Kaiba froze, his blood rushing powerfully through his veins as he came to a terrible realization.

Yami had just told him he loved him..as Hiro.

Not as Seto, and not as Kaiba.

He made a huge effort to untangle himself from Yami, feeling his eyes water dangerously. He reached up to loosen Yami's arms from around his neck and pushed Yami's legs off from around his waist, feeling Yami's warmth leave his body immediately. Kaiba felt himself grow cold all over.

"Wh..wait..!" Yami exclaimed, confused.  
Frowning, Yami shook his head and struggled forwards, attempting to link his arms around Hiro's neck again, but Hiro pushed him off steadily.

Hiro's hands wrapped around his wrists and firmly pressed them down into the mattress.

"Hiro..!" Yami cried angrily, watching as Hiro hovered at the edge of the bed, looking oddly forlorn. Yami gripped the sheets beneath him tightly, wondering if he had done something wrong.

"I need...a shower." Kaiba said, feeling strangely hollow. He knew he was acting and sounding ridiculous, but he couldn't think of any other way to do it.

"Oh." Yami said simply, and without missing a beat, he smiled happily up at Hiro, extremely thankful that he hadn't misread the situation. Hiro had spent a long morning at work...so his request for a shower was...polite!

Kaiba tried to swallow the awful lump that was rising up in his throat. Now, this would truly be the last time Yami would ever smile at him like that. Maybe this would be the last time they would ever speak to each other this casually again.

That thought drove Kaiba almost insane and he threw himself onto the bed, pressing his lips firmly across Yami's, desperately kissing him, fully and deeply, one last time.

Yami blinked, taken aback by the sudden warmth of the kiss. He reached up to pull Hiro closer, but Hiro had already backed off the bed once again.

Frustrated, Yami curled his fists and slid off the bed too, his knees wobbling as he stood carefully.

"I'm coming in with you." Yami insisted, reaching out to grab Hiro's hand. They were going to see each other naked anyway, so what was the point in waiting until Hiro got out of the shower?

Kaiba moved towards the bathroom door, feeling his arm grow numb from Yami's touch as Yami laced his fingers purposely through his. He bit back a delirious laugh.

It was like all of his dirty fantasies were coming true in the worst ways possible.

A shower? With Yami? Sure. While Hiro's black hair and brown eyes slowly washed down the drain, along with all of his hopes and dreams for a positive future with Yami? Even better.

He gripped Yami's hand tightly, willing himself to keep it together as they entered the bathroom, their footsteps padding across the cold tiles.

Yami couldn't help but feel that Hiro was somehow more nervous about this than he was, and he gave Hiro's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I love you." Yami repeated, more to himself than anything. He understood that he was about to open his heart and body to a virtual stranger he had met only a few weeks ago.

Kaiba closed the bathroom door behind them carefully, feeling Yami squeeze his hand again. He felt another laugh threatening to spill out and he turned to face Yami, stepping closer towards him. "You love me." He repeated, feeling empty.

"Y-Yes." Yami said, blinking uncertainly as Hiro towered over him, an unfamiliar dark expression crossing his face again.

"What exactly is it ...that you love about me?" Kaiba asked blandly, hearing his voice echo painfully around them in the spacious bathroom.

"I.." Yami blushed furiously as he tried to withdraw his hand, but Hiro held on firmly.

"Is it my hair?" Kaiba asked viciously, feeling another furious rant coming on. He felt Yami try to slip his hand away but he held on tighter. "Is it my eyes? Or the way that I smile? The way that I treat you?"

Yami could feel his fingers growing numb as Hiro's temper began to rise unexpectedly again.

"All..of it. Everything." Yami responded lamely as a small bubble of fear began to rise up in his chest. "I like everything about you."

Perhaps...he hadn't thought this through. What was making Hiro so angry? They were kissing happily just moments ago!

"Really." Kaiba said, gripping Yami's hand even tighter, unwilling to let go, feeling if he did, he would lose him forever.

"Yes!" Yami cried desperately, wrenching his hand out from Hiro's grasp painfully, his body shaking slightly, thoroughly confused. Why did Hiro need so much verbal confirmation? It was almost like Hiro didn't believe him!

"You'll love me, even if I have...say, blonde hair, and blue eyes." Kaiba said coldly, staring at the space above Yami's head, feeling himself grow steadily dizzier by the second.

"What?" Yami frowned, struggling to understand where this was going. "Why, yes, of course."

"You'll love me, even if I have brown hair and green eyes? Blonde hair and brown eyes?" Kaiba could feel his resolve slipping as he watched Yami look increasingly more bewildered, but he pressed on, unable to stop himself from rambling spitefully, "What if I grew scales, wings, and a tail, like a fucking dragon? Would you love me then?"

Yami felt a laugh unwittingly escape his throat. Was Hiro joking around with him on purpose?

He stared at Hiro, who looked extremely upset, his black hair tousled every which way, his fists clenched at his sides. He looked...slightly mad.

 _Oh, he's not joking_ , Yami realized and he sobered up instantly.

It suddenly hit him that Hiro kept mentioning hair and eye color. Was it because he was extremely aware of the heavy resemblance he bore with Seto Kaiba?

 _That must be it_ , Yami thought secretly. _Hiro had probably seen Kaiba for the first time, and was shocked at their similarities too. And given my history with Kaiba, it is likely he wants to know I won't choose Kaiba over him!_

Yami looked straight into Hiro's soft brown eyes and nodded, speaking earnestly, "Yes, Hiro, even if you grew scales and wings. Even if your eyes were blue and your hair was brown. I truly like you for who you are on the inside."

Kaiba felt himself sway on the spot and his ears began to ring loudly as the silence stretched between them. That was a better answer than he could've ever hoped for! Did Yami really mean that?

Yami watched Hiro lower his head and remain extremely silent for a long time, so long that the quiet was suffocating.

"I..I'm being serious." Yami said, his face heating up with embarrassment. Would that answer suffice? He could understand if Hiro was feeling insecure, after all, Kaiba was not one to be reckoned with, especially when it came to matters of the heart.

"I'll hold you to that." Kaiba said, managing a small smile, stepping closer towards Yami. His anxiety still hadn't lessened. He had one more hurdle to clear.

Yami nodded stiffly, feeling his uncertainty rise. Why did all of this feel extremely one-sided? Why was he the only one being held to his word, when Hiro had not once verbally confirmed his feelings?

Kaiba slid the glass door of the shower aside and switched the water on, listening as the deafening rush of the water from the showerhead slapped against the tiles, the loud echos filling the room.

Yami watched as Hiro grabbed the hem of his shirt and begin lifting upwards.

"Wait." Yami said firmly, stepping forwards and placing a warm hand over Hiro's arm, preventing him from taking off his shirt. "I have yet to hear anything from you. Tell me how you feel about me."

Kaiba paused, feeling Yami's hand close over his forearm. Really?

Kaiba blinked, trying to put his emotions into words. He thought he had been more than obvious, displaying his affections for Yami, practically in every way he could think of!

The expensive gifts of flowers, clothing, and the phone Yami was currently using. The gentle touches and kisses, and the romantic evenings after a meal. He had even made himself available, both as Hiro, and Kaiba...and Yami still needed a verbal confirmation? Fine.

Kaiba leaned in and reached forwards to gently cup Yami's face in his hands, staring deeply into his sparkling violet eyes.

"I..love you. So much. You don't even know." Kaiba said, feeling his chest tighten painfully as the words left his mouth before he could stop himself. "You're witty, clever, and intelligent. If we were the only two people left in the world, I would never tire of your company."

Kaiba swallowed thickly, watching Yami blink his large eyes slowly. He pressed his forehead against Yami's, his dark hair meshing in with Yami's spiky blonde bangs, his heart thundering in his chest as he whispered, "I need you by my side, more than you know."

Yami blinked, his heart fluttering wonderfully at the sound of Kaiba's voice, speaking unimaginably sweet words. Kaiba...would never say anything like that to him...right? Was..that..possible?

 _I'm doubting myself again_ , Yami thought, horrified, and he gripped Hiro's shirt tightly.

"Kiss me." He demanded, his voice almost drowned out by the sounds of rushing water beside them. Kaiba would be erased from his mind if Hiro touched him gently.

Gladly, Kaiba thought as he pressed his lips firmly against Yami's, feeling Yami's heated hands snake upwards beneath his shirt, grazing over his bare skin.

Kaiba lifted the shirt up over his head, breaking the kiss only for a second before he leaned back down and wrapped his arms around Yami, kissing him deeply again, his anxiety melting away with every thrust of Yami's tongue into his mouth.

Yami closed his eyes and relished in the warmth of Hiro's lips on his, feeling his excitement rise. They broke apart and Yami reached down, quickly unbuckling one of his belts, letting it hit the floor with a loud clink.

Kaiba felt his heartbeat quicken so much, his vision blurred. He watched as the second belt hit the floor, and Kaiba once again lost his self restraint. He reached forwards and lifted Yami's shirt up over his head, and pressed his lips into a spot on Yami's neck, licking and teasing the area until the skin turned red.

Yami shut his eyes and let out a soft sigh, linking one arm around Hiro's neck, while the other hand lowered to unbutton his leather pants.

Hiro peeled his pants off from his legs and Yami felt himself heat up intensely again, unsure if it was from the steam slowly filling the room, or if it was from Hiro's fingers trailing down his legs, helping him step out of his pants.

Yami clung onto Hiro, fully nude, shivering with delight as slender fingers caressed his ass gently, slowly spreading his cheeks apart.

He squirmed lightly, grinning seductively up at Hiro, "That tickles."

"Get in there and wait for me." Kaiba growled, burying his nose into the tips of Yami's spiky hair, giving Yami's ass a light slap, inching him towards the shower door.

Yami let out another laugh and it echoed pleasantly around them as he slid the door back and stepped into the shower. The hot water slid across his skin comfortingly and Yami leaned himself closer beneath the stream of water, feeling himself relax.

Kaiba tore his eyes away from Yami's silhouette in the steamy shower door, and he quickly stepped out of his pants. He stared at the puddles of their clothes on the floor and he picked them up quickly, setting them onto stone the counter beside the sink.

He could still feel Yami's warmth lingering in the clothes as he withdrew his hands from the fabric and he shuddered, dreading what he was about to do next.

"Hiro?" Yami called, his voice echoing around the bathroom softly.

"I'm here." Kaiba said, pulling the shower door back and stepping into the water beside Yami.

Yami smiled blissfully up at him and ran his warm hands boldly across his abdomen, tracing his muscles lightly with the pads of his fingers, clearly enjoying himself. Kaiba tensed, restraining himself from reaching out and pressing Yami up flush against his body.

He wanted to feel Yami's soft skin against the entire length of himself, but Kaiba held himself back with an iron will, gritting his teeth, feeling the water trail down his body slowly.

Yami trailed his fingers across every dip and curve of Hiro's muscles, secretly elated and extremely aroused. He threw his arms around Hiro, hugging him tightly, feeling the tip of his erection rub into Hiro's leg.

Yami felt Hiro shudder and he smirked, pressing himself closer into Hiro's body, enjoying the water running across both of their bodies. Yami glanced up and watched as Hiro dipped his head back beneath the shower head, his arm muscles rippling as his pale, slender fingers ran through his hair.

 _So...handsome,_ Yami thought faintly as he watched water run down in long streams along Hiro's neck, across his shoulders and down past his sculpted pecs. He couldn't stop staring at Hiro's body. It looked so muscular, and...eerily familiar.

Yami leaned in and boldly wrapped another arm around Hiro's body, amazed at how toned he was. He stared at the curves of muscles running parallel along Hiro's navel and he brushed his knuckles across the hard curves, wondering faintly if Kaiba's body would feel the same way.

Yami shoved the thought furiously out of his mind, angry with himself for even thinking such a thing while he was pressing up against Hiro's naked body.

Kaiba shut his eyes tightly and rubbed the water through his hair vigorously. He blinked against the rushing water, feeling his vision shift in and out as his contacts loosened in his eyes.

Yami stared down at Hiro's chest, watching the water trail down across his muscles, willing his mind to remain blank.

Suddenly, the water was no longer clear. It was running grey, and then in long, black streams, all the way down along Hiro's skin.

Shocked, Yami let out a gasp and withdrew his arms so quickly, his elbow smashed into the glass door. He felt a searing numbness coupled with tingling pain, radiating all the way up his arm into his shoulder. Gasping in pain, Yami's eyes watered heavily as he gripped his throbbing elbow.

Yami glanced down at their feet and stepped back in shock, watching as the water pooling around the shower floor turned a dark, murky grey.

What...was happening?!

Suddenly very afraid, but too shocked to move, Yami stared at the ground wide-eyed and horrified, as the grey water sloshed up around their toes. Yami raised his head and found the source of the murky water. It was running off from Hiro's hair!

Yami stared, feeling distressed as Hiro slicked his hair back underneath the water and blinked at him, water dripping off from his eyelashes.

His hair was brown.

The black in his hair had washed away.

His hair was colored with dye?!

Yami blinked and felt the room spin as he gripped his elbow even tighter, feeling his arm grow painfully numb. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Was it due to the thickness of the steam curling up from around them, or was it because he was just finding out now, that Hiro had been dying his hair black this entire time?

Kaiba watched Yami gape at him, his lower lip trembling as his angular violet eyes raked up and down across his naked body, clearly stunned.

"Y-Your hair.." Yami gasped, taking a fearful step back, his heart racing frantically in his chest. Why did Hiro feel the need to dye his hair black?! He had brown hair this entire time!

Kaiba lowered his head and carefully lifted his eyelid with a slender finger, feeling the water drip down his knuckles as he carefully extracted the contact from his left eye. He blinked, feeling his vision shift and refocus. Keeping his head lowered, he palmed the wrinkled contact and carefully lifted his other eyelid, attempting to slide the contact out from his right eye. The water was rushing so loudly it was making his ears ring.

Yami stared and stared, his fear rising higher and higher as Hiro lowered his head and began tapping a finger into his eyes.

"Stop that. What are you doing? Stop it." Yami said, his voice shaking tremendously. He wasn't sure if his heart could take any more unpleasant surprises.

Kaiba heard Yami call out, asking him to stop, his voice sounding extremely anxious. Kaiba paused in his motions, lifting his head slowly. He hadn't removed the other contact yet, but hopefully, Yami could see where this was going.

Yami gasped so loudly his chest hurt.

One of Hiro's eyes was a very bright blue, the other, was a deep chocolate brown.

Yami felt as though everything was moving in slow motion as he watched Hiro lower his head again and press two fingers into his eyes, removing a tiny film from his other eye.

Kaiba gripped the crumpled contacts in his fist tightly and opened his palm slowly for Yami to see. There. He was now fully and completely himself, soaking wet and naked. He couldn't be any more honest than this.

Yami clutched his elbow tighter and tighter. The pain had gone from his arm but it had moved towards the center of his chest. His heart was hurting. He was staring at a very wet, very naked, Seto Kaiba, holding two crumpled pieces of film in his palm.

That, or he was in the shower with a brown-haired, blue-eyed stranger.

This was..Kaiba, wasn't it? It couldn't be...could it?

"Stay back." Yami insisted, backing away so fast he almost slipped in his haste.

"It's me." Kaiba said hopefully, shaking the water out of his hair gently, reaching a hand out to steady Yami who seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Yami blinked, Kaiba's voice echoing around in his head in circles. " _It's me...it's me..._ "

Yami stood very still, lowering his head slowly, staring at their bare feet, the water running down powerfully along their naked bodies. He suddenly felt cold all over.

Everything now made perfect sense. The timing of the texts at 3 AM, the appearance and disappearance of Hiro... no! There were signs even earlier than that!

"Yami..?" Kaiba said slowly, moving towards him carefully.

"No." Yami whispered, feeling the numbness spread slowly across his chest and all the way down into his arms and legs. The similarities in their voices, and in their hand gestures...their body language, and, Yami trembled as he recalled...all of the lies!

He turned and stumbled his way blindly out of the shower, painfully hitting toes along the edge of the shower's bevel. Everything hurt, and nothing mattered except that he had been acting like a gigantic fool this entire time!

Yami barely managed to grab a towel from off the rack and he clumsily wrapped it around himself before stumbling out of the bathroom, hot tears sliding down his face.

How could he have been ..so..so.. _blind_...! Kaiba had played him for a fool! He had two phones the entire time, the other one was obviously the one he used for work! It was all an elaborate lie!

Yami sat down shakily on the edge of the bed, dripping wet and shaking with fury. There were so many signs, Yami didn't even know where to begin but his brain began flooding his senses incessantly. The flowers, the sports car, the gentle touches, the sudden anger...!

Yami shivered as he recalled Kaiba standing on his doorstep, smirking, telling him right to his face, "Hiro and I are the same person."

Yami trembled and shut his eyes, Kaiba's face flashing across his mind again and again, scene after scene like an unending horror movie.

Every time Kaiba looked hurt or frustrated, every time they kissed, every time Kaiba reached out to grab him, shouting at him to forget about Hiro...this was what he meant.

Kaiba came rushing out of the shower, almost slipping on the hardwood floor in his frantic haste. He roughly dried his hair and hung the towel around his neck casually, carefully approaching Yami, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, trembling and shaking, his head lowered, his blonde bangs obscuring his face.

Yami clenched his fists tightly, willing himself to take deep breaths. He was so angry at himself for not realizing sooner and angry at Kaiba, for not telling him sooner. His attraction towards Hiro was completely normal, because...Hiro was Kaiba! Was this just a ..funny game to Kaiba? His feelings were real! And this whole time...Kaiba had been _playing._

"Yami..?" Kaiba said quietly, swallowing the nervous lump in his throat as he stepped closer towards Yami, feeling the water drip heavily off of naked his body as he stood at the edge of the bed. "Yami, nothing's changed. Everything I said earlier, I meant ev-"

Yami stood up suddenly and slapped Kaiba solidly across the face.  
The sound of his hand hitting against the skin on Kaiba's face echoed loudly across the entire apartment.

Kaiba bit his lip and clenched his fists, feeling his cheek sting painfully and slowly begin to numb.

Okay, he deserved that. Kaiba readjusted himself and looked Yami straight in the eye, watching his tanned, slender shoulder shake as he gripped the towel around himself firmly, his violet eyes glaring daggers into him.

"I'm sor-"

Another slap.

Yami had raised his hand to hit Kaiba again, his arms trembling as he tried desperately to keep the tears from streaming down his face. Why was he attracted to such a despicable person? Was it that hard to be honest? Why did Kaiba feel the need to go to such great lengths to deceive him?

Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek as he felt the other side of his face sting and smart, feeling his anger rise. Okay, maybe he deserved that one too.

Yami stepped closer towards Kaiba and curled his hand into a fist, reaching out to hit him again, his vision blurring dreadfully as his tears blinded him. Why?! Was it enjoyable for him to act this way?

Kaiba saw the fist coming and he dodged it, grabbing Yami firmly by the wrist. Yami struggled and twisted his arm out from Kaiba's grasp, his chest heaving as his breaths grew ragged with anger.

"Get ..away from me." Yami hissed, gripping the towel tighter around himself as he glared furiously at Kaiba, who was still dripping wet, and completely nude.

Kaiba clenched and unclenched his fists, willing himself to remain calm, "I stand by what I said earlier. I meant every word."

Yami let out a bark of delirious laughter, throwing his head back and palming his face, "Don't tell me, you were doing this out of.. _.love_." Yami spat the word out like it was something disgusting. "You..and your _lies..._ You've been lying to me this entire time!"

Kaiba felt his chest slowly beginning to tighten painfully again, and he took a step closer to Yami, who immediately took a step back, away from him.

"I meant what I said earlier." Kaiba responded steadily, blinking, "My feelings for you have not changed. And they will never change, no matter what I look like."

Yami felt his breath hitch in his throat as he struggled to speak, but anger and hurt clouded his mind. He managed to shake his head furiously, looking around the room for their clothes. Where were their clothes?! Had Kaiba hidden them?!

Kaiba watched Yami glance around the room frantically, eyeing the door behind them and his panic rose even higher. Yami wanted to leave.

"What happened to, " _I like you for who you are on the inside_ "?" Kaiba asked angrily, his chest hurting with every breath he took. "And " _Even if you had brown hair, and blue eyes_."" Kaiba said, reciting Yami's words back at him, his voice rising desperately, feeling his eyes grow dangerously hot. "What's the fucking difference? I'm still me, in the end."

Yami stared and stared at Kaiba, watching his light brown hair fall loosely across his brow as their bodies were beginning to dry. Yami shivered and folded his arms firmly across his chest.

"Why." Yami demanded, turning his attention to the hardwood floors beneath his feet, unable to look at Kaiba any longer. This fight was difficult to have if Kaiba was going to be standing there, shamelessly in the nude, with just the towel hanging around his neck.

"Tell me ...why you did all of this." Yami gestured around to the apartment and fixed his gaze back down onto the floor, feeling his anger turn into a solid rock and settle in the pit of his stomach.

Kaiba blinked, feeling his anxiety rise to an all time high, "I didn't do it for you." He said bluntly, and then he quickly corrected himself, "At first. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I didn't think...I didn't know."

Kaiba swallowed stiffly, realizing he wasn't making any goddamn sense. He didn't know he'd be falling head-over-heels in love with the "other Yugi" as he had always called Yami in his head.

"What...the hell are you talking about." Yami hissed, his anger settling deeper into his stomach. Kaiba knew, Kaiba always knew what he was doing. This was another lie, clearly.

"Stop lying." Yami said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Stop lying for just one second, and tell the fucking truth. Can you do that, Kaiba?"

Kaiba paused, his brain processing the fact that Yami had started cursing. He was in trouble.

"I'm being truthful." Kaiba said, making a huge effort to keep his voice level, feeling his fear rise suddenly. Yami was angry, so angry he couldn't bring himself to yell. He was in more trouble than he'd originally thought.

Was this it? Were things over between them once and for all?

This was the terrible end he had foreseen weeks ago. This conversation right now, was the main reason Kaiba had wanted Hiro to just...disappear. But Yami just couldn't leave it alone!

"I'm being truthful." Kaiba repeated, his voice shaking now as his emotions threatened to take over. "I tried. I tried to tell you, but no, all you wanted was Hiro. Hiro all day, Hiro all night. Hiro, Hiro, Hiro!" Kaiba spat, his temper rising to an all time high as he continued to rage, "So what the fuck could I do? I brought Hiro back for you, which was _exactly_ what you asked for. And you're angry with me, when in fact, you should be happy!"

Yami trembled as Kaiba's voice echoed around in the apartment, causing his ears to ring painfully. True, he ought to be happy, knowing Kaiba was Hiro, made things a lot easier, But ...he had worried his friends for nothing, and worst of all, Kaiba had made him doubt himself.  
He had been ready to truly accept Hiro, but it had been Kaiba all along!

Yami felt his entire being heat up uncomfortably as his mind spun painfully.

This was somehow...irrefutable proof that he loved..Kaiba!

This only further solidified his feelings...for Kaiba. He had fallen in love with a virtual stranger, and had thought of Kaiba at every turn.

Kaiba blinked, feeling his eyes water. Were they tears? It didn't matter because Yami wouldn't accept him as himself.

Yami was standing very still with an arm wrapped loosely around his body, keeping the towel around his waist while he hung his head, staring at the floor, his face fully covered by the spiky crop of blonde bangs which were still dripping wet.

"What was so fucking great about Hiro?" Kaiba continued, unable to stop himself. If this was the end, he would fucking say it all, he would say everything he had ever thought when he was Hiro.

"Hiro was a stranger, yet you trusted him completely. You insisted there was distance between us, well, Hiro fixed that, didn't he? I lied to you..." Kaiba said, his voice lowering to a whisper, "...because I was afraid. I was afraid, that you would treat me differently as Seto Kaiba, and look at you now, standing there, ten feet away, afraid to even be anywhere near me."

Yami shuddered, feeling a hot tear drip down his face again. Kaiba was...afraid of the way he would be treated? Why?! He had millions of women fawning over him, any of them willing to do his bidding, and yet he chose to go through with this elaborate identity..to...what, close the distance between them? He couldn't think of any other way to do it?

Kaiba watched Yami's shoulders shake slightly as a tear dripped down along his chin, and he turned his gaze away, feeling sick. He waited for Yami to speak, or move, or do anything.

Nothing. Yami continued to stare at the floor silently, the towel slipping dangerously off from around his waist. Kaiba turned around, his nausea rising.

He was going to get dressed and leave. The conversation was over if he was the only one talking. Clearly, there was still something keeping them apart, and Kaiba's head was hurting too much for him to think properly.

He would deal with the loss of Yami later, in private.

Kaiba's vision blurred terribly as he took a step forwards, heading towards the bathroom. He heard a movement behind him and he turned around, just in time to see Yami stalking furiously towards him, naked, fists clenched, eyes glaring.

Kaiba's eyes widened as Yami gripped him strongly by the arm dragged him away from the bathroom doorway, shoving him forcefully down onto the bed, and then suddenly, Yami was on top of him, with his towel wrapped painfully around his neck, choking the air out of his lungs.

Kaiba gasped, his vision blurring as he stared up at Yami's furious expression, feeling the heat from Yami's thighs burn into him as Yami straddled him firmly.

"I'm s-" Kaiba struggled, bringing his hands up to the towel wrapped tightly around his neck, gasping for air. Yami brought his mouth down painfully across Kaiba's lips, biting down furiously along Kaiba's bottom lip, tasting blood.

Kaiba slid his fingers beneath the towel, attempting to pull it away, struggling to draw a breath as a thin, silky tongue slid into his mouth, and the towel continued to tighten around his throat. He was running out of air.

Kaiba's vision began turning green as Yami kissed him deeply again, harder this time, teeth bumping painfully into his top lip.

"Is it fun? To play with my feelings?!" Yami growled, grinding his hips roughly into Kaiba, pressing the towel rigidly against Kaiba's throat, feeling Kaiba tremble and shudder beneath him. He was so angry and aroused he didn't care about anything anymore, other than the feel of Kaiba's body against his.

"I'll let you breathe, only if the next words out of your mouth are, _"No, and I'm sorry."_ Yami hissed, reaching down to roughly grab Kaiba by the hair, pushing his head back firmly against the mattress.

Kaiba felt his neck strain painfully as Yami's fingers tangled into his hair, shoving his head roughly into the pillows behind him. He managed to nod his head, his eyes watering as his vision began fading into green again.

The towel's pressure lifted slightly and Kaiba gasped deeply, feeling air fill his lungs. He struggled to prop himself up on his elbows, but Yami's weight on top of him kept him down.

Kaiba could feel Yami's erection pressing solidly into his stomach and he tensed pleasurably, his heart pounding so hard it hurt.

"No, and I'm ..sorry." Kaiba managed, slipping a finger beneath the wet fabric that was chaffing deeply into his neck. The towel shoved down firmly across his throat once again and Yami leaned his face in so close, he looked positively evil. Kaiba blinked and blinked, feeling himself grow impossibly hard. It was so arousing. Every face Yami made was arousing.

Kaiba shook his head weakly, tugging at the towel around his neck. He had been trying to apologize this entire time! Was that not enough?!

Suddenly, Yami's hot hand wrapped around his erect member and gave a hard jerk upwards. Kaiba shut his eyes and felt a deep spasm shake his body, a cry escaping his throat, but it was muffled by the towel which was still firmly choking him. This was fine. Yami could strangle the life out of him while fucking him slowly. He would die happy.

Yami kissed Kaiba again, roughly, sloppily, with his mouth open as his breath came out in slight pants. He bared his teeth and grazed them across Kaiba's collarbones, latching onto a particular spot and sucking viciously.

He would leave a mark here.

Yami felt Kaiba tense and attempt to move, but he pressed the towel down further along Kaiba's throat. If Kaiba passed out, it would serve him right.

If Kaiba knew what was good for him, he would stop moving and let him do as he pleased.

Yami sucked harder along Kaiba's skin, inhaling his scent, which was sweet and musky, mixed in lightly with the scent of Hiro's cologne.

That aroused Yami even more and made him angrier. He moved his lips across one of Kaiba's nipples, barely grazing the pointed tip with his bottom lip, feeling Kaiba arch his back slightly.

Yami smirked, choosing to pass over it and down onto another spot along Kaiba's chiseled chest, licking and sucking fervently across Kaiba's skin, watching as another dark mark appeared slowly when he drew away.

One mark, for each and every lie Kaiba had ever told him as Hiro.

Yami continued dragging his lips all way down Kaiba's body, alternating between teeth and tongue, lingering over certain areas whenever he felt Kaiba spasm and twitch beneath him.

Kaiba blinked rapidly, desperately trying to remain conscious. Yami was kissing and biting his way down his body at an agonizingly slow pace, and Kaiba longed to reach out and touch him, but if his hands left the towel from around his neck, he might actually choke to death.

Yami felt Kaiba's grasp on the towel weaken and he didn't bother to look up, his eyes fixed permanently on Kaiba's erect member, which was jutting straight up from between his legs.

Yami inched himself lower along Kaiba's body, feeling his knees sink into the mattress as he slid himself down along the sides of Kaiba's body.

Kaiba felt Yami's legs slide down along his hips and he tensed excitedly again, jerking himself upwards, tugging frantically at the towel around his neck. How the hell was Yami so fucking strong?

"Shut up." Yami hissed, straddling Kaiba's legs tighter, his knuckles whitening as he resisted the urge to press the towel deeper into Kaiba's neck. Kaiba stilled and he felt his entire body grow hot.

Yami wavered for a moment, before leaning down and shoving his mouth roughly over the tip of Kaiba's penis, purposely sucking extremely hard, watching as the muscles in Kaiba's leg tensed wonderfully, so much that he could see every dip and curve of his quads. He opened his mouth wider and brought the head of Kaiba's penis deep into his throat, feeling his jaw stretch almost painfully.

Kaiba threw his head back as his vision turned white when Yami's hot, searing tongue dragged along the underside of his cock. The towel around his neck loosened slightly as Yami took him deeper into his mouth. He could feel his tip hitting the back of Yami's throat and he bucked his hips shamelessly upwards, craving more.

Suddenly, the towel tightened around his throat again and the wind was knocked out of his lungs when Yami pressed a heavy palm into the center of his chest.

"It doesn't feel good, does it, Kaiba?" Yami sneered, climbing up and once again sitting up high on Kaiba's torso. "This is exactly what it feels like. Painful. Like you're almost there, but not quite."

Kaiba's penis sat wetly against the small of Yami's back and Kaiba swallowed tightly, feeling his throat burn as his adam's apple rubbed along the towel which was still pressed firmly into him.

Kaiba shook his head and nodded, feeling the pressure building up behind his eyes as his oxygen was slowly beginning to cut off again.

Anything..he would do anything..if Yami would touch him there again.

Yami reached a hand around his back and slowly trailed his fingers up along Kaiba's leaking cock, pressing his fingers teasingly into Kaiba's tip, rubbing the wetness thoroughly beneath the pads of his fingers.

Kaiba shut his eyes and shuddered violently as giant threads of pleasure ripped through his body with every stroke of Yami's fingers. Could he breathe now? He might just die...

Kaiba struggled to talk and he tugged weakly at the towel, staring deeply into Yami's violet eyes, blinking twice.

"Shut up." Yami said viciously, keeping an even pressure on the towel as he raised himself up, spreading himself apart with one hand, sliding Kaiba's member erotically up and down between his ass cheeks.

Kaiba felt as though his chest was going to explode, either from the lack of oxygen or from Yami slicking his plump asscheeks over his dick. Was Yami going to try to sit on his dick?! Without any preparation? He might hurt himself...!

Kaiba shook his head vigorously, feeling the towel burn across his neck painfully and he gasped for air again. Yami's grip loosened and then tightened again.

"I said, shut up." Yami said furiously, gripping the edge of the towel firmly as he raised himself up fully, spreading himself even wider, feeling the tip of Kaiba's dick hit the rim of his anus as his own cock twitched with need.

Yami looked down at his erection, desperately wondering how he could touch himself and lower himself onto Kaiba's dick at the same time, without moving his hands away from Kaiba's neck.

Kaiba struggled to prop himself up on his elbows again, his eyes traveling down Yami's slender form, watching Yami stare down at his own penis, his arms shaking.  
Kaiba saw Yami's dick twitch and he lost it. He slipped three fingers beneath the wet towel around his neck and wrenched it away, his heart pounding, feeling the air fill his lungs fully.

Yami's eyes widened and he narrowed his eyes angrily, reaching out to restrain him again, but Kaiba was faster and stronger. He sat up so quickly Yami fell off of him, landing flat on his back with his legs splayed.

Kaiba pried the towel out of Yami's grip and flung it off the bed, hearing it land somewhere off to the side with a loud slap. He loomed triumphantly over Yami, pinning him down on the mattress, his throat still smarting painfully, but Kaiba ignored it, intent on relishing in Yami's wide-eyed stare.

"Get off me." Yami breathed, his legs trembling as he slowly spread himself wider beneath Kaiba, feeling the heat from Kaiba's body radiating down upon him intensely. Yami wasn't sure if he could stay angry...he felt hot all over, but hollow and empty at the same time. He just wanted Kaiba's heat inside of him.

Kaiba ran a heated palm up and down along Yami's side, feeling him tense and glare up at him. He traced his fingers gently up through Yami's inner thigh, and gave the flesh a firm squeeze, pressing Yami further down into the mattress, "Don't you mean...get me off?" Kaiba said, grinning widely, spreading Yami's legs wider with a firm hand.

He leaned down and kissed Yami gently, feeling Yami resist, keeping his lips tightly shut. Kaiba ran his hand down along Yami's chest and pinched his nipples playfully, feeling Yami writhe beneath him and attempt to shoot him another angry glare.

Kaiba smiled again, and he trailed his hand down Yami's body, resting his palm lightly over Yami's heated tip, feeling the wetness slowly gather beneath his hand. He rubbed in slow circles, watching as Yami blinked and shuddered, still managing to maintain his angry glare.

"Please forgive me." Kaiba said lightly, wrapping his hand firmly around Yami's shaft and giving it a satisfying pump upwards, watching Yami convulse pleasurably. Yami bit his lip and shook his head, his chest rising and falling heavily as Kaiba palmed the head of his penis again, rubbing it over in slow, agonizing circles.

Kaiba leaned back and grabbed Yami's legs, lifting them fluidly up onto his own shoulders, bringing the base of Yami's cock right up to his nose. He pressed his tongue playfully into Yami's balls, opening his mouth wide and sucking delightfully on Yami's robust testicles.

Yami let out a strangled cry and he brought both of his hands up to cover his mouth, his stomach clenching violently as a wave of pleasure rocked his body. Kaiba's tongue was hot, too hot, it was setting his body on fire.

Kaiba felt Yami's thighs tremble wonderfully up on his shoulders and he moved across to suck lightly on Yami's inner thigh, and Yami curled his toes, throwing his head back as the warm sensation from Kaiba's mouth and tongue consumed him.

His dick was leaking and throbbing painfully and Yami gripped the sheets tightly beneath him, shooting another glare straight into Kaiba's blue eyes which were sparkling at him playfully.

"Suck me." Yami commanded, bucking his hips upwards furiously, seeing the tip of his dick pass dangerously close to Kaiba's nose and he felt Kaiba's hot breath graze across his tip. Yami hissed, and clenched the sheets tighter. Kaiba was holding back on purpose, what an asshole.

"Forgive me." Kaiba said readily, his lips hovering right at the tip of Yami's penis, watching as a clear bead of pre-cum slipped out and dripped down along the shaft. He flicked his tongue out quickly and licked it, tasting Yami's bittersweet essence, and Yami shivered.

"Suck me ..first." Yami insisted, tensing his thighs and bringing his heels painfully down across Kaiba's shoulders, trying to draw him in closer with just his legs.

Kaiba swallowed tensely and obliged, bringing his mouth down firmly across Yami's shaft, grazing his teeth lightly along the underside of Yami's penis and swirling his tongue powerfully around the tip.

Yami's legs trembled in his grasp and he cried out softly. Kaiba pressed his head down further, the head of Yami's shaft hitting the roof of his mouth erotically as he tapped his tongue rhythmically against the underside of his shaft as he bobbed his head up and down methodically.

Yami felt his entire body grow hot and cold all over as Kaiba's tongue skimmed all along his entire length. More...more..!

He jerked his hips upwards just as Kaiba gave him a slow, solid lick from his asshole straight all the way up to his tip. Yami shut his eyes, his body clenching pleasurably as Kaiba opened his mouth to suck powerfully on his cock, Kaiba's teeth grazing purposefully along the head of Yami's shaft as Yami bit back another cry.

Grinning, Kaiba leaned his head back, grazing a thumb lightly across his bottom lip which was gleaming with saliva. He felt Yami twitch beneath him and watched him press his hands tighter against his mouth, his eyelids heavy with lust.

"Forgive me." Kaiba demanded, gripping the underside of Yami's thighs so tightly, he could feel his nails digging into his soft, tanned flesh.

Yami shook his head and bit the inside of his lip to keep from yelling out as Kaiba gave him another solid lick upwards, passing his tongue across the tip of Yami's hole, feeling himself tighten.

The tip of Kaiba's tongue passed over the spot between Yami's entrance and his balls and Yami felt Kaiba flick his tongue out rhythmically, tapping the base of his penis heavily, feeling a jolt of heat rip through his body every time Kaiba flicked his tongue out. Yami managed to shake his head again as he lowered his hands away from his mouth and down to his sides, gripping the sheets tightly.

Kaiba felt his patience beginning to slip as he saw Yami shake his head at him again.

I'll make you beg for it then, Kaiba thought devilishly, burying his face deeper into Yami's crotch, swirling his tongue playfully around the rim of Yami's anus, feeling the ring of muscle clench and unclench lewdly.

Kaiba slipped his tongue forcefully into the tight hole and thrusting in and out, feeling Yami twist and squirm. He gripped Yami's thighs tighter and bit Yami's asscheek playfully, hearing Yami finally cry out his name.

"Kaib..a!" Yami clutched the sheets beneath him so hard his fingers were starting to grow numb. He felt Kaiba's teeth graze the tender area between his balls and his thigh and he cried out again, a strange, half-gasping moan. Kaiba lowered his mouth down between Yami's thighs and sucked vigorously on a patch of soft skin, satisfied as he watched a dark mark appear when he leaned his head back.

Yami twisted and squirmed as Kaiba sucked heavily on a spot between his thighs, neglecting him everywhere else. He shivered and bit his tongue to prevent himself from crying out again.

Kaiba raised his head and pressed a slender finger against the pink rim of Yami's asshole.

"Seto." Kaiba said firmly, rubbing Yami's anus with gentle strokes, watching Yami's cock twitch in front of his nose. He was holding himself back so much that his own erection throbbed angrily beneath him.

Soon...he could cum soon...if Yami would just call out his name, and then Kaiba would fuck him into oblivion.

Yami clenched tightly and grit his teeth as Kaiba's nail sensually traced along the edge of his asshole. Why was this about what Kaiba wanted? No. Yami shook his head and struggled to glare at Kaiba again.

"I'll leave you like this." Kaiba said viciously, his temper rising. "You can jerk yourself off. I'll walk out that door, right now."

"Do it." Yami challenged, purposely giving his cock an excited twitch as he bucked his hips shamelessly up closer towards Kaiba, "Go ahead, leave. See if I care."

Kaiba gave Yami a cold, calculating glare before wrapping one hand around Yami's shaft, pumping it furiously while he ducked his head down to shove his tongue incessantly into Yami's asshole at the same time.

Yami let out a lewd yell as he hands reached up to tangle in Kaiba's hair, trying to pull Kaiba's hot breath and tongue away from his hole.

Kaiba exhaled heavily, feeling Yami shudder and writhe, crying out lewdly while Yami's hands left his hair and began grabbing at the sheets beneath him as Kaiba lifted his ass up higher towards his mouth.

Kaiba licked his finger and pressed it into Yami's hole, feeling it in slide easily. He gave it a few firm thrusts, watching the pink rim of Yami's anus clench lustfully. Kaiba felt an alien wave of lust rise up inside him as he shoved this finger deeper into Yami's hole, swirling it around inside him for a good measure, feeling Yami gasp deeply.

"Kaiba...!" Yami cried as a series of pleasurable spasms raked over his slender body, feeling his insides churn and spin violently, "D-don't..stir it around like...th-that..! It's making me feel-" _Wierd!_

Yami's voice caught in his throat and he arched his back, feeling Kaiba stretch him widely, stirring a finger around in his hole vigorously, his insides shivering and spasming, as his thighs trembled and shook furiously.

Kaiba felt his erection throb painfully as Yami raised his head to look at him imploringly, his face flushed, his blonde bangs splayed messily across his heated forehead.

Kaiba steadily inserted a second finger into Yami's delicate, pink asshole, watching it swallow his fingers greedily. He thrust them both so deeply into Yami, his knuckles disappeared.

"Seto." Kaiba insisted, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as the heat from inside Yami traveled up his fingers, past his hand and through his entire body, landing straight into his groin. Could Yami ..please..just say his name?

Kaiba carefully scissored his fingers, feeling Yami stretch wonderfully beneath him, and Yami let out a short laugh which quickly morphed into a low moan, his legs jerking and tensing along the tops of his shoulders.

"I forgive you." Yami said desperately throwing his head back and closing his eyes as intense shudders racked his body, his entire body shivering delightfully at Kaiba's every touch. Kaiba's fingers were cold...!He wanted to feel Kaiba's heat inside him..!

"Put yourself inside me...please." Yami begged, feeling his eyes tear up with effort. Kaiba had withdrawn his fingers and now he felt oddly empty. Yami bit his tongue as he bucked his hips forwards again, wanting to be filled again...with Kaiba's fingers, with Kaiba's tongue, it didn't matter.

"Call me Seto." said Kaiba through tightly clenched teeth, watching Yami's little hole clench lewdly right under his nose, his own cock pulsing painfully as Kaiba heard Yami hiss and attempt another glare.

"Say it, say my name." Kaiba's ears began ringing slightly as he watched Yami clench beneath him again. Damn, he had seen gay porn, but this wasn't happening through a screen. Yami's quivering asshole was the sexiest goddamn thing he had ever seen in his entire life.

Yami felt an enormous pressure building up in his chest as he let out a furious yell, "Seto!" and he reached up to grab at Kaiba's hair but missed when his hips were suddenly lowered and Kaiba entered him with one smooth thrust.

Yami felt himself stretch so widely he thought his skin might rip apart, along with his entire being. His thighs were spread so far apart the inner muscles were screaming in pain and Kaiba's nails dug tightly into his legs, leaving little pink half-moon markings.

Kaiba forced himself to stay very still as Yami's passionate heat surrounded his entire cock. Oh god...he was tight! Kaiba trembled as he felt Yami's hole clench around him firmly, so firmly it almost hurt.

Yami gasped deeply, his eyes watering from the pain. He tensed and winced, feeling himself stretch wider as he stared up into Kaiba's clear blue eyes, which looked surprisingly gentle.

"It...hurts...!" Yami struggled to speak, attempting to move, but every motion he made just stretched him wider around Kaiba's thick cock.

Kaiba shut his eyes and willed himself to stay still as he felt Yami squirming sensually around on his penis. "Tell me when." He said slowly, his head growing heavy as he wrapped a hand around Yami's cock, giving it a few firm strokes, watching Yami gasp and shudder beneath his touch. Kaiba felt as though he was living in an erotic dream and he felt himself mentally slipping. Was this really happening.. or was this a dream too?

Yami felt a hot bubble of pleasure rising up from his stomach and spreading like wildfire through his body, heating up his arms and legs, causing them to tingle sharply. He bucked his hips upwards and felt Kaiba sliding deeper into him, even though Kaiba wasn't moving.

Yami felt Kaiba tense and flex his thighs again, wondering briefly why Kaiba wasn't moving. He wanted that delicious, hot curling feeling in his stomach again.

Kaiba stared intently down at Yami, feeling his body grow numb. He felt Yami wiggle his ass deeper down onto his cock and he swallowed dryly, every fiber of his being screaming with lust.

Yami bucked his hips again and felt his ass hit the base of Kaiba's cock, and he gasped, his vision blurring as he realized Kaiba was completely inside of him.

 _I'm..dreaming_ , Yami thought faintly, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling as a tear slid out of the corner of his eye. _I'm in Hiro's apartment, on Hiro's bed, with Kaiba...deep inside of me. This is a wishful dream..._

Kaiba saw the tear roll down Yami's cheek and he panicked. He withdrew himself hastily, feeling his head spin when Yami tightened deliciously around his cock as he pulled out. Too much, too fast. He suppressed a pleasurable shudder and carefully sat back on his heels, taking slow, ragged breaths.

"No!" Yami gasped as he felt Kaiba's heat leave his body so suddenly, his stomach clenched emptily. "Come..back!"

 _Come back?_ Kaiba thought dizzily, leaning forwards to place a gentle kiss along Yami's forehead. _I'm right here._

Yami's legs slid off from around his shoulders and Kaiba leaned in closer, letting Yami grab him roughly by the hair and kiss him deeply, thrusting his tongue insistently into his mouth. He felt Yami's hand groping at his thigh and he inched himself upwards, letting Yami touch him as he pleased.

Suddenly, Kaiba felt Yami's hand wrap firmly around his cock to guide his tip lower and lower. Yami roughly rocked his hips forwards, feeling the sheets chafe against his lower back, "Cum..inside me."

Kaiba blinked, his vision fading in and out violently as Yami's blonde bangs began to blur in front of him.  
What? Was he going insane? What the fuck did he just hear Yami say?

"Seto!" Yami cried, struggling to sit upright. He released Kaiba's hair and reached down to touch himself, spreading his cheeks widely with one hand, the other gripping his shaft tightly, his voice shaking as he spoke, "Prove to me that I'm ...not dreaming. Fuck me."

Kaiba blinked, his ears ringing loudly. He lifted Yami's legs up so high, he got another a clear view of Yami's pink little asshole. Kaiba slid himself thickly into him in one powerful, smooth motion, feeling Yami stretch and clench sensually around him.

Yami arched his back as Kaiba's heat entered him again, spreading him fully, filling him up completely. Yes.

Kaiba drew back and rammed into Yami once, hard, watching Yami shudder violently and let out a soft moan. More? More. He pulled out all the way and shoved himself deeper into Yami, feeling his entire length slide erotically into Yami's spasming pink hole, enjoying the delectable heat radiating from between them every time their bodies connected.

Kaiba paused, drinking in the sight of Yami splayed out in front of him with his arms tense, fingers and knuckles white against the sheets, his head thrown back, exposing his slender jawline, his spiky hair messily spread every which way out across the mattress.

Yami felt Kaiba's dick slide in and out of him, once slowly, once quickly, and he bit back another loud gasp. Each thrust felt amazing, and it made his entire body tremble and shiver pleasantly.  
More. Again. Why had Kaiba stopped?

"Don't you ..dare..stop." Yami gasped, lifting his head up to glare at Kaiba, but realizing he couldn't properly keep his eyes open.

Kaiba blinked once and felt his resolve slipping away completely. He lifted Yami's hips up higher just a bit and paused one last time, before ramming himself tightly into Yami's hole, again and again, feeling the base of his cock slap pleasurably against Yami's skin.

Kaiba watched as Yami gasped deeply, writhing beneath him pleasurably with each thrust, each one of his cries becoming increasingly louder and more lewd as Kaiba pressed him down into the mattress roughly while he pounded steadily into him.

Kaiba tightened his grip around Yami's thighs and spread him wider, leaning himself up on his knees and falling heavily over Yami, furiously fucking him deeper and harder, searching for the tight bundle of nerves that would make him lose his mind.

Yami felt Kaiba's cock filling him deeply, again and again, the delicious heat was curling low in his stomach again, threatening to spill out of his chest and up out of his mouth.

He felt Kaiba's body moving powerfully on top of him and he reached up, flinging his arms around Kaiba's neck, pulling him down deeper, pressing their lips together desperately, tasting him, drinking in Kaiba's sweet frenzied breaths mingling in with his own.

Everything was hot, and Kaiba felt a shiver run down his arms as he heard Yami's heavy pants in his ear. He still hadn't hit that spot yet, where the fuck was it?

Kaiba pulled out suddenly and he saw Yami convulse and curl his knees up into his chest. Yami frowned and opened his mouth to protest but Kaiba quickly silenced him with a firm kiss, sitting back on his heels, he grabbed Yami by the arm, pulling him up into a sitting position.

Yami felt his head rush powerfully as Kaiba yanked him upwards. Why had he stopped again? He was just about to cum...he was so close!

"Spread." Kaiba said heavily through his lust, placing a needy kiss along Yami's neck, inching his thumb between Yami's heated thighs, pulling Yami on top of him. Yami obeyed, slipping his trembling legs down on either side of Kaiba's thighs, his body weak with pleasure.

"Now, sit down..slowly." Kaiba instructed breathlessly. Yami placed a warm hand down onto Kaiba's muscular abdomen to steady himself as he spread himself widely with his other hand, carefully lowering himself down into Kaiba's erection, which was shining wetly with their combined fluids.

Yami felt himself stretch pleasurably as Kaiba's heat filled him once more and he trembled, wondering if it would feel this way every time Kaiba entered him, because he could not get enough of that delightfully hot feeling.

Suddenly, Kaiba thrust vigorously straight up into him without warning, and Yami felt his head spin violently.

Kaiba's cock suddenly went much deeper into him than ever before.  
Oh...it felt wonderful. Yami shut his eyes and ground his hips downwards, bracing himself down along Kaiba's muscular frame, feeling Kaiba tense pleasurably beneath him and Yami relished in the tight, burning feeling rising up from within him again. He was going to cum...!

Kaiba's dick shoved upwards into him ferociously, deeper and higher every time, and suddenly, Yami felt something entirely different. It was a feeling somewhere...up high, somewhere he couldn't' reach. It made his breath stop in his chest and it made his skin burn and sizzle all over

Kaiba felt Yami freeze suddenly, his entire body tensing and quivering.

 _There, found it_ , Kaiba thought triumphantly, reaching his hands up to firmly grab ahold of Yami's slender waist, feeling his slender hipbones press erotically against his palms. Yami was so much smaller than him...it would be easy to make him feel everything.

Kaiba forcefully shoved Yami's hips down onto his dick, pushing upwards fervently, watching Yami lean forwards to brace himself against the violent spasms of pleasure accompanying each and every thrust.

Yami's fingers curled into Kaiba's muscular stomach and Kaiba felt Yami's nails dig painfully into him, reminding him that this was all very real.  
He wasn't dreaming.

That thought spurred Kaiba into a frenzy. He leaned forwards to bite lovingly down across Yami's collarbone as he wrapped a hand around Yami's shaft, rubbing and pumping it vigorously as he thrust heavily into him.

Yami lost himself completely. His mouth was making sounds he had never heard himself make before as he was blinded with pleasure.

The heat from Kaiba's hands rubbing his cock, the slight pain from Kaiba's teeth on his shoulder, and the strength from Kaiba's dick pounding into him roughly, repeatedly hitting that high spot inside him, was all becoming too much for him to bear.

A slow, tight bubble of raw pleasure rose up inside of him and burst.  
Yami climaxed heavily into Kaiba's hand, his semen quickly spilled out from his tip, his body shaking and trembling as wave after wave of heat coursed through his veins.

Kaiba sucked sensually along Yami's sweet skin, stamping every one of Yami's gasps and cries into his mind as he continued to roughly thrust into him.

"N-no more..I'm..d-done!" Yami cried and he shuddered violently on top of Kaiba, his stomach tensing pleasurably again as Kaiba steadily continued to rub a palm up and down along his sensitive penis.

"S-Seto! St-..sto-...st-" Yami choked as a wave of painful pleasure tore through his chest, blinding him momentarily. Kaiba was still stroking him so roughly, he could no longer form coherent strings of thought. All he could feel was Kaiba's heated body beneath him, rocking upwards steadily into him.

Kaiba tightened his grip around Yami's waist, shoving his cock deeper into Yami's tight little hole, determined to experience the most mind-bending, earth-shattering orgasm of his life. He felt Yami clench and unclench around him and he bit back a groan, letting Yami lean forwards on top of him heavily, gasping incoherently.

Yami's vision blurred in and out as Kaiba incessantly rammed into him, still repeatedly hitting the tight bundle of nerves high up inside him with every thrust. Yami could feel the now, familiar wave of heat rising up from inside him, spilling out across his entire body as he heaved in dry orgasm, his vision turning white.

"S-Set..o!" Yami moaned, doubling over on top of Kaiba as his mind went completely blank.

Kaiba heard Yami cry his name out in between gasps and thrusts and he shuddered, falling forwards and leaning Yami back down into the mattress, he draped Yami's trembling legs over his shoulders as he gave Yami a few more hard fucks, before he ejaculated deeply inside of him, watching Yami arch his back with his eyes closed, gripping the sheets, his face flushed with his mouth parted half-open, the tears drying across his cheeks.

Yami felt Kaiba's semen rush up inside him in a heated spurt as Kaiba orgasmed above him in one violent burst, his throat growing hoarse as he let out another strangled cry.

Kaiba felt his vision turn green and then white, and he pressed himself down across Yami's hot, sweaty body, his head spinning uncontrollably, his heart thundering in his chest as he tried to catch his breath.

He could feel Yami quivering and shaking beneath him, letting out short gasping laughs as his body shuddered with residual shocks of pleasure.

"Y-You're still..inside me." Yami managed to say between short breaths.

Kaiba flexed his arms and pressed himself deeper into Yami, enjoying Yami's heat clenching around him deliciously again. "I'll do you again, and again, until your asshole remembers the shape of my dick."

Yami's eyes widened with shock and he bit back another laugh, his lips trembling as another jolt of electricity thread through his body, making him feel warm all over.

Kaiba held his breath and rocked his hips forwards, his dick feeling extremely hot and sensitive inside Yami's hole. Yami let out a surprised cry and squirmed as he felt Kaiba slide out of him slowly, his shaft still hard as a rock. How..?!

"I ..I can't anymore." Yami whispered, gripping Kaiba's shoulders tightly. If Kaiba fucked him again, right after he'd just cum twice, he might just die.

Kaiba felt Yami's fingers digging into his shoulders and he rolled his hips forwards, shoving himself tightly right up into Yami's hole, "I can."  
His arms were shaking tremendously as he felt his dick twitch inside Yami's tight hole.

"I can't ..I can't!" Yami insisted, wrapping his arms around Kaiba's neck tightly, his eyes tearing up with effort as he leaned his head back into the mattress. Kaiba give Yami a few more hard thrusts, churning his insides mightily, the hot threads of pleasure shooting upwards through his chest, piling up at the very top of his head.

Yami could feel their sticky liquids sliding easily into him as Kaiba slowly fucked him, continuing to lean heavily down across his trembling, slender frame.

"N..-no..!" Yami gasped as Kaiba picked up his pace, mercilessly fucking him at a steady, unrelenting pace, his breaths coming out in short, quick pants above him.

Kaiba grit his teeth as he felt himself heat up suddenly and grow cold, and then hot all over again. The pattern repeated, his dick sliding tortuously in and out of Yami, enjoying the way his toes twitched and his fingers curled every time he entered him.

Kaiba realized he was probably too sensitive to cum again. He stared down at Yami, who had his head thrown back, his adams's apple jumping up and down in his throat.

Kaiba braced his palms down on either side of Yami and leaned in to kiss down his exposed neck, suddenly giving Yami one hard thrust, feeling him tremble and pant beneath him. He might just fuck Yami all damn day if Yami was going to act this sexy...

Yami felt Kaiba's pace quicken again, and that low clenching feeling in his stomach began building up again as Kaiba slid in and out of him repeatedly, causing his entire body becoming extremely sensitive.

"I..can't!" Yami cried hoarsely, as another wave of pleasure washed over him, causing his fingers and toes to tingle. Suddenly, Kaiba rammed into him hard, again, and again, their skin slipped against each other erotically as Kaiba's semen dripped steadily out of Yami's hole.

"Yes.." Kaiba growled, thrusting into Yami forcefully again, pulling out fully before entering him viciously, "..You.." He drew himself out again, feeling himself shiver delightfully as he saw Yami's hole clench, "...Can."

Kaiba shoved himself in so deeply he hit Yami's core, and Yami shuddered violently as he orgasmed intensely again, his nails digging into Kaiba's bare shoulders as his body spasmed uncontrollably.

Kaiba smirked triumphantly as he felt Yami cling to him tightly, listening to the strange half-gasping moan escape from Yami's throat as his legs trembled and twitched beneath him.

Kaiba braced his palms onto the mattress and pushed himself off of Yami, extracting himself carefully, feeling Yami's heat leave his body slowly.

Kaiba rolled over onto his back and palmed his face, feeling an intense headache coming on, followed by extreme grogginess.

Yami closed his eyes, breathless, weak all over, his throat raw from crying out. He felt entirely drained as Kaiba heaved himself off and landed on the mattress beside him with a soft thump. Kaiba just ...had to... push the limits of _everything_...didn't he?

The sticky substance on his stomach was beginning to dry alarmingly fast and Yami struggled to sit up, sliding his fingers across his own stomach, touching the sticky liquid.

Kaiba lifted an eyelid and furrowed his brow, watching Yami cautiously lick the tips of his fingers. Kaiba's eyes shot open and he reached a hand out to jerk Yami's hand away from his mouth. "That's dirty, don't do that!" He exclaimed, feeling himself grow aroused all over again.

Yami laughed, the sound ringing pleasantly out around in the apartment and Kaiba let out a soft groan, closing his eyes and throwing his head back into the pillows. He couldn't find it in himself to move; he was spent.

Yami inched his hand up along Kaiba's arm and laced his fingers in through the top of his hand, enjoying the steady warmth that radiated from his skin.

"I'm glad." Yami said with a certain finality in his voice, giving Kaiba's hand an affectionate squeeze.

"Me too." Kaiba mumbled, feeling himself drift in and out of consciousness. He struggled to stay awake, but his eyelids were so heavy, and his heart was slowing into a low, steady beat. He felt warm all over.

"I haven't told you why I'm glad." Yami said playfully, smirking as he watched Kaiba's chest rise and fall steadily.

"Why are you glad." Kaiba chanted back at him, his sex headache slowly fading into a dull ache behind his eyes. He knew exactly why Yami was glad, why the fuck wouldn't he be?

"I'm glad...that Hiro...turned out to be you." Yami said simply, rolling over onto his stomach and propping his head up on one arm, gazing sleepily at Kaiba with his eyes half open.

Kaiba pried his eyes open and managed a glare, "I don't want to hear that name come out of your mouth, ever again." And he slumped his head deeper into the pillows behind him with Yami's laugh ringing out around the room.

Yami grinned and lifted Kaiba's hand up to his lips, pressing his knuckles into his face, enjoying the warmth from his hand seeping slowly into his face.

"Bake me a cake." Yami demanded, smiling into the back of Kaiba's hand.

Kaiba didn't hear him; he had already lightly dozed off.

Yami's smile widened and he inched upwards, laying his head comfortably into the crook of Kaiba's shoulder. He lifted their hands up high above him, staring up at their interlaced fingers, his eyes blurring with tears of happiness.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Yay~! Happy end between these two! They finally came to an understanding LOL. If anyone is interested in the bonus ending, let me know! (It goes something like: Kaiba goes into the bakery fully as himself, bakes Yami his fucking cake etc , fluff between them, + the Yugi gang's reaction) but the ending is here! I hope you liked it!

Thank you everyone who followed this story until the very end and helped me grow and improve as a writer! Thank you to everyone who contributed their reviews, critiques and ideas either on Tumblr, AO3, or right here in the reviews section! I appreciate and love every single one of you! Especially you, Seket. #editor #ibaremysoul2u #intheroughdrafts

Please look forward to my future works featuring Kaiba and Yami! I promise I'll try to make them all as touching and suspenseful as this one!

**I'm currently doing a poll for what story you would like to see me write next!  
If you're interested in the sneak peek(s), please head over to my Tumblr _( uglifish)_ and in the sidebar, there will be links to samples! Please submit your vote! **

**It'll really help me out in deciding what fics to write for you next!**  
(They are all rated M, with lots of drama, suspense, and smut heavy, just a warning...)

LINK: _-has been removed/expired-_ Please check my the end of my most recent fic to participate in the next poll!

I believe in actively engaging with everyone in order to bring you what you guys want to read the most!

xoxo

Ugli


	18. EPILOGUE

**Epilogue**

Yami heard Yugi's alarm buzzing across the room and he kept his eyes shut even tighter. He felt like he was sleeping on a cloud and he didn't want to move; he felt so relaxed. His entire body was incredibly warm and Yami sighed contentedly. It wasn't even light outside yet.  
He didn't feel the sun pounding against his eyelids the way it usually did when Yugi's alarm rang.

Yami opened his eyes slowly and came nose-to-nose with Kaiba's sleeping face. Yami jerked his head back forcefully, his heart thumping wildly in his chest.

He blinked and suddenly remembered where he was.

Hiro's apartment.

No _...Kaiba's apartment!_

Yami sat up, searching for the source of the buzzing. It was coming from the empty desk by the window.

He then glanced back down at Kaiba beside him, staring at his brown bangs which were mussed handsomely across his forehead, his striking features were relaxed, his breathing deep and even.

The phone continued buzzing on the table from across the room and Yami carefully extracted himself from beneath the sheets, feeling Kaiba's arm slip off his body slowly as he climbed out of bed.

He tiptoed across the hardwood floor, feeling his toes grow cold as he approached the desk. It was both of Kaiba's phones, and the visibly older model was ringing. Hiro's phone.

Yami stared as the unknown number flashed across the screen and suddenly the phone went silent. Yami grabbed it quickly and clicked the screen back on.

He was immediately greeted with the password lock and he held his breath, quickly typing in Kaiba's password from memory, wondering if Kaiba had actually given him the password to his phone the night they had dinner together with Mokuba.

The phone unlocked and a set of familiar icons appeared on the screen. Amazed, Yami stared at stared at the screen, his heart thudding loudly in his ears. Kaiba trusted him that much.

Yami threw a look over his shoulder at Kaiba's sleeping form, wondering if he should wake him. If the call came from Hiro's phone, did that mean it was someone from the bakery?

His feet were growing cold, so Yami grabbed both phones and hurried back into the bed, slipping his legs beneath the sheets, feeling Kaiba's warmth radiating up from beside him.

Yami leaned down and pressed his lips firmly across Kaiba's cheek, inhaling deeply, feeling Kaiba shift beneath him.

Kaiba felt a warm breath pass across his ear as hair tickled his cheek. He cracked an eyelid, feeling drowsy and warm. Mokuba?

Legs rustled beneath the sheets and a bare leg slid between his naked thighs. Kaiba froze and his eyes shot open. Not Mokuba.

Yami's face was hovering extremely close to his nose and Kaiba felt his eyes watering from shock as he stared deeply into Yami's angular violet eyes. Was this a dream or was this real?

The hallucination of Yami spoke quietly, lifting up Hiro's phone, the screen glowing brightly, "You got a call."

Kaiba blinked and sat up slowly, the sheets falling softly around his elbows as he slowly accepted the phone and tapped the call icon. It was an unknown number, one he didn't recognize. This was clearly a dream.

Kaiba glanced around, noticing the apartment was getting darker by the minute. The sun was setting.

Yami smiled happily back at him, wrapping warm arms around his naked waist and Kaiba felt his head spin. Yami stared at the phone in Kaiba's hand and gave Kaiba a reassuring squeeze, "Call them back, it might be important."

Kaiba glanced down at the screen and slid his thumb across the call icon, feeling numb as he lifted it up to ear, listening to it ring.

Suddenly, June's voice came floating through the other end, sounding frantic, "Hiro! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for you to get f-fired! N-no I'm s-sorry, I mean.. ..I'm-"

Kaiba blinked, his vision suddenly growing sharp as his mind cleared instantly. That's right, he was fired earlier today...and now...Kaiba glanced down at Yami who was snuggled up warmly beside him and smirked, cutting across June's stutters, "I'm coming in tomorrow, don't worry."

Yami lifted his head, listening intently. He could hear a girl's voice sounding faintly in the receiver and he guessed it was the petite girl from the bakery. June.

"O-Oh." June said abruptly, sounding surprised, "Are you s-sure? Uncle J might not be too happy about that..."

Kaiba gripped the phone tightly as he felt Yami's nose brush warmly across his hipbone, "I'm sure. Just keep practicing the way I showed you, and I'll be sure to let you finish decorating the last batch I make."

June squealed happily and laughed, sounding close to tears, "Thank you Hiro! I-I mean...I meant to say, Mr.-"

"Hiro is fine. You're welcome June." Kaiba said firmly, gripping the phone even tighter as he hung up, carefully setting the phone face down onto the mattress. He felt Yami lift his head up suddenly and give him a strange look.

"Hiro is fine?" Yami repeated, looking confused.

Kaiba clenched his jaw and let out a low growl, pushing Yami down onto the mattress, straddling him tightly, pressing his forehead firmly up against Yami's spiky blonde bangs, "I said I never want to hear that name come out of your mouth ever again."

Yami threw his head back as his body shook with laughter, thoroughly enjoying Kaiba's weight on top of him.

Kaiba smirked and raked his eyes across Yami's naked body, trailing a slender finger down across Yami's chest, realizing his skin was still slightly shiny from the patches of semen left over from their earlier bout of lovemaking.

Kaiba quickly eased himself off of Yami and stood along the edge of the bed, offering Yami a hand. Yami took it obligingly, smiling gently and nodding.

He led Yami into the bathroom and switched the water on, hearing his phone buzz again just outside the door. Yami whipped his head around and gave Kaiba a curious look.

Kaiba pushed Yami gently towards the running water and eased past him, walking back into the bedroom, calling over his shoulder, "It might be Mokuba."

Yami nodded and stepped into the hot shower, sliding the glass door shut and breathing deeply, enjoying the powerful rush of water around him. He felt as though he was living in a happy dream...

Kaiba glanced around the room quickly and his eyes landed on his company phone buzzing energetically beside Yami's pillow. He smiled, realizing Yami had been considerate enough to bring both of his phones over to the bed. He answered it quickly, checking the screen, relieved to see it was indeed Mokuba.

"Mokuba." Kaiba said quickly, half listening to the rush of water coming from the bathroom.

"Seto!" Mokuba exclaimed happily, "Oh I didn't think you'd pick up...because I tried calling your office..."

Kaiba felt a pulse quicken, "Did you need something?"

"Yes!" Mokuba cried and Kaiba could practically see the pout coming through the phone, "I'm hungry!"

"Right." Kaiba responded quickly his mind racing, "What would you like to have?"

"Hamburgers." Mokuba said firmly, and then he added "With Yami."

Kaiba blinked. Had he heard that correctly?

"Why?" Kaiba heard himself asking.

"Because you never let us have hamburgers for dinner. But you will if Yami comes over." Mokuba answered readily. He sounded like he had rehearsed this.

Kaiba swallowed thickly and gripped his phone tightly, "Fine."

Mokuba cheered loudly in his ear as Kaiba hung up the phone and tossed it back into the bed. His little brother was wising up.

He quickly strode into the bathroom, eyeing Yami's figure through the steamy shower door as he slid the glass aside and stepped in.

Yami gasped and jumped slightly, startled.

"I didn't hear you ..." Yami said, feeling his heart pound loudly in his chest, his blonde bangs plastered to his face as the water streamed down his body.

Kaiba reached out and pulled Yami into a tight embrace, feeling Yami's skin slide sensually up against his own and his spirits soared.

Yami leaned his ear against Kaiba's chest and listened to the rapid pulsing of Kaiba's heartbeat and he threw his arms around Kaiba's body, feeling himself shiver pleasantly. He never wanted to leave, he wanted to stay like this forever.

Kaiba leaned back slightly and cupped Yami's face in his hands, tilting his head down to softly kiss Yami, feeling Yami press upwards into him eagerly. Yami slid his silky tongue into Kaiba's mouth and felt Kaiba lift him up suddenly, pressing his back up against the cold shower wall, large hands cupping his ass cheeks.

Yami gasped and tightened his grip around Kaiba's neck, wrapping his legs around Kaiba's waist for good measure, feeling Kaiba's tongue flick out to lick his neck.

"Kaiba!" Yami cried out, biting back a laugh. The sensation tickled and Kaiba nuzzled his nose deeper into the crook of Yami's neck.

"Seto." Kaiba growled, feeling himself grow hard as he rolled Yami's skin between his teeth, sucking vigorously.

"S-Se..." Yami gasped as he felt Kaiba spread his ass cheeks wider, ramming a knee roughly up into his crotch, his back slipping wetly against shower wall. Yami tensed and clenched pleasurably, feeling Kaiba's fingers inch around the curves of his buttocks.

Kaiba ground his hips furiously into Yami, eliciting a happy moan from Yami as their erections slipped up against each other as the hot water pounded down across their skin.

"Touch me." Kaiba demanded, bracing Yami tightly against the wall. He couldn't let go, otherwise Yami would slide off his knee.

"I..I can't!" Yami cried, blinking the water out of his eyes, his legs trembling uncontrollably as his cock twitched excitedly. Kaiba might drop him if he let go!

"Yes..you can." Kaiba breathed, "Reach a hand down..."

Yami struggled for a moment before unhooking one of his arms from around Kaiba's neck to slowly reach down and palm both of their arousals in his hands. Kaiba's dick felt so hot and wet, Yami could barely get the tips of his fingers around Kaiba's shaft, and the water was making his hand slip.

Yami watched, awestruck as Kaiba threw his head back and sighed, his muscular chest heaving with emotion. Suddenly Kaiba leaned forwards and pushed his forehead tight up against Yami's, kissing him deeply. Yami gripped their shafts tightly and rolled his palm over their heads, feeling the wetness gather beneath his palms.

Kaiba suppressed a shudder, the heat from Yami's hands was making it difficult for him to stay standing.

Yami gave their erections a few vigorous rubs upwards, feeling Kaiba tense powerfully and push him harder up against the wall.

Kaiba felt his breathing begin to quicken as Yami's hands stroked them faster and faster, carefully palming their tips before roughly jerking back down along their shafts.

Yami tensed his thighs, feeling the hot water stream off his body, making him grow hot and uncomfortable all over. He wanted to be touched back there...could Kaiba do it?

"Can you...I want to put you inside...!" Yami gasped, bringing his face right up against Kaiba's ear, his breath catching painfully in his chest.

Kaiba shut his eyes and felt his head spin wildly. Yami was so fucking needy and he loved it. He bent down slightly to slide Yami's thighs across his forearms, inching his asshole closer towards his dick. Yami lifted his arm and tightened himself around Kaiba's body, enjoying the hardness of Kaiba's tip poking suggestively around his rim.

Yami trembled with anticipation. He was going to be filled..again!

Kaiba rolled his hips forwards, feeling his tip graze Yami's hole and he repressed a shudder, letting his breath out in a slow hiss. Yami's hole should be soft, considering they fucked just hours ago.

Kaiba pushed the head of his penis right up against Yami's hole, feeling the rim spread and slowly take him in.

Yami tensed and gasped pleasurably as he felt Kaiba's heat slowly entering him, his ears ringing as the water from the shower poured down around them heavily. It didn't hurt at all when Kaiba entered him this time around, in fact, Yami almost wished Kaiba would've done it faster.

Kaiba could feel Yami's thighs twitching and trembling so much, he couldn't hold himself back. He thrust mightily into Yami, feeling Yami clench wonderfully around him, his head thrown back in ecstasy, his adam's apple jumping in his throat as he let out a lewd yell which echoed around the shower stall.

Kaiba felt himself grow lightheaded and his vision began to fade into white as he continued shoving upwards into Yami passionately, feeling Yami's nails dig into the skin behind his neck as he quivered and moaned.

Yami felt a familiar heat curling around the base of his stomach and his tip began to leak wetly. The water from the shower washed it away quickly and Yami gasped, feeling Kaiba pound vigorously into him, his heated shaft sliding thickly in and out of his soft hole.

Kaiba drew back and felt them beginning to slid down the wall. He tensed, watching Yami let out another half-gasp.

Yami had felt Kaiba pulse inside of him.

"D-Do that..a-again!" Yami cried desperately, shoving his fingers through Kaiba's hair and kissing him sloppily, feeling Kaiba's teeth graze his top lip roughly. Every time Kaiba exhaled, Yami could inhale in his sweet, hot breath.

Kaiba paused, blinking, his head heavy with lust.  
He was on the verge of cumming...! What exactly did Yami want...?

Kaiba shoved himself deeply into Yami's hole, feeling Yami cry out, "No..not that..!"

Kaiba leaned forwards and bit down across Yami's collarbone, feeling Yami shake his head, "No..no! D-down there...m-move inside me...!"

Kaiba grit his teeth and flexed, feeling his shaft strain and tighten inside Yami's tight heat. Yami pulled at his hair so erotically Kaiba almost came.

"Yes..that!" Yami cried, feeling Kaiba's dick expand and contract inside of him, bucking his hips down lower across Kaiba's center, "More..of that!"

Kaiba shut his eyes momentarily and thrust powerfully into Yami, tensing as he withdrew, watching Yami arch his back against the shower wall, begging to cum.

"Touch my front." Yami demanded breathlessly, his hands tightening in his hair.

Kaiba shook his head, his ears ringing as he thrust deeply into Yami once more. He was going to make Yami cum just from doing his hole.

"Please..!" Yami cried, as Kaiba slide upwards into him mightily, hitting a spot high inside him. Kaiba had touched his front earlier while fucking his hole, and it felt amazing...! Why wasn't he doing it again?

Kaiba felt Yami freeze after a deep thrust, and he sped up his pace, angling his shaft further into Yami, hearing Yami's cries mixing in with the loud echo of the water which was beginning to turn lukewarm.

"S-Seto please...m-my front!" Yami gasped, as Kaiba hit his core again, and he convulsed pleasurably, but didn't cum. Kaiba heard Yami call his name and tense around his dick so tightly he felt himself accidentally cum. _Fuck!_ Kaiba cursed, feeling his body shake and pulse rhythmically as his essence rushed upwards inside of Yami's hole.

Yami's dick throbbed painfully as Kaiba emptied his semen deep inside him.

Yami let out another deep gasp as he felt Kaiba's heat shoot upwards into him, leaking out the sides of his asscheeks. He felt his eyes tearing up with effort.

"N-no..I wanted..!" Yami cried, gripping Kaiba tightly around the shoulders, feeling extremely disappointed.  
Kaiba had cum without him!

Kaiba slid himself out of Yami carefully, his heart pounding heavily. "Turn around." He breathed, his chest heaving. "Palms on the wall."

Yami blinked widely at him and complied, turning himself around shakily and bracing the wall. He felt Kaiba's fingers slide around his hips and suddenly Kaiba was inside him again. His heated shaft slid deeply into him once, pressing his entire body flush up against the cold shower wall. The tip of Yami's heated dick grazed the wet wall and he shuddered pleasurably.

"C-cold!" Yam exclaimed, feeling Kaiba slide out of him slowly and press back into him again.

"Good." Kaiba grunted, shoving himself deeply into Yami again, the image of Yami's wet ass burning into his mind, "I'll make you cum without touching your front."

"I..c-" Yami bit back a cry as Kaiba pounded into him relentlessly, slowing down and picking up his pace without warning, causing the tip of his dick to hit the shower wall every time he was entered deeply.

His tip burned, his body burned, and his thighs began to burn from standing. Yami felt his elbows begin to give out and Kaiba noticed this, reaching around to press Yami firmly into the wall.

"I want to cum...!" Yami gasped, as his nipples grazed up along the freezing wall.

Kaiba reached down to grab Yami's hips, angling them towards him firmly, giving him a few powerful thrusts, his cock was growing extremely sensitive. Kaiba watched Yami's knees tremble and his breathing quickened again. The lukewarm water was steadily growing colder and Yami felt the cool water sliding off his heated body, causing odd tremors to ripple over him.

Kaiba tensed one last time and shoved himself so deeply into Yami, Yami was pushed right up into the wall. He felt Yami tense powerfully beneath him as he orgasmed violently, his fingertips white as they were pressed tightly against the tiles.

Yami's entire dick was pressed flush against the cold tiles and his body shook furiously as he came thickly, his vision flashing into white as his body grew hot, but was suddenly awash with cold from the water above them. Kaiba was still sliding in and out of him powerfully, thrusting deeply, carefully timing his thrusts with the pulsing of his orgasm.

A strange, strangled moan escaped from Yami's mouth as cum shot out from his tip and splattered against the tiles, the residual fluids dripping past his twitching shaft and down his trembling legs.

He felt his legs give out instantly and Kaiba reached around to catch him, steadying him with strong arms wrapping around his body.

Yami's heart was racing so hard he could barely breathe with Kaiba's muscled chest pressed into his cheek.

Suddenly the water began running hot again and Yami shivered, clinging onto Kaiba for dear life, afraid that if he let go, his ass would hit the shower floor in a second.

Kaiba let out a small laugh and Yami could feel the vibration against his ear. He shivered happily again and felt the water quickly washing the semen off of his body.

"There, did you like that?" Kaiba asked hoarsely, burying his face into the wet tips of Yami's hair, feeling Yami's trembling arms embrace him tightly as he swayed dangerously, the residual shocks of the orgasm leaving his body.

"I..liked it." Yami breathed, his chest and throat hurting immensely, his mind spinning. He couldn't figure out how every time they connected, Kaiba made him feel ...so much. It was different and amazing every time.

"Are you clean?" Kaiba asked, snaking a hand around to squeeze Yami's robust ass cheek.

"Y-yes!" Yami exclaimed, squirming slightly as Kaiba's grope caused another thread of electricity to spike through his body.

Kaiba let out another laugh and reached around to shut the water off behind Yami.

Yami's ears were ringing with Kaiba's laugh as it echoed wonderfully around the bathroom. Amazing...simply amazing. Kaiba's laugh was his. Kaiba's smile was his.

Yami raked his eyes shamelessly across Kaiba's nude body as he stepped out of the shower.  
Kaiba's body was his.

Kaiba turned to pass him a towel and Yami accepted it from him, feeling his face heat up with emotion. Kaiba was his. Everything was too good to be true, but it _was_ true!

Yami buried his face in his towel, feeling his eyes heat up with tears. The crying and suffering he had endured with Hiro was worth it. Even if Kaiba didn't want to hear it, Yami was sure Hiro had closed the distance between them.

Kaiba handed him his shirt and Yami shook his head lightly, stepping over the bevel to wrap his arms around Kaiba's waist.

Kaiba was taken aback, feeling Yami's went bangs drip down into his towel.

"Thank you Seto." Yami said softly, burying his nose into Kaiba's chest, feeling the wetness from his skin press into his cheek warmly.

Kaiba felt his heart skip a beat and he pulled Yami away slightly to look down at him, "You're welcome...?"

Yami nodded, unable to speak anymore,the corners of his eyes filling with tears.

"Okay, let's get going." Kaiba said gruffly, forcefully slipping Yami's shirt over his wet spiky hair, hearing Yami's deep laugh echo around the bathroom.

"I'm hungry." Yami said lightly, adjusting his shirt around himself carefully, reaching for his pants.

Kaiba nodded and got dressed quickly, stepping into his jeans and pulling his shirt quickly over his head, roughly toweling his hair dry, feeling refreshed. He just had the best sleep and the best sex of his life, and he couldn't agree more.

"I'll make burgers." Kaiba said lightly, watching Yami glance up at him with a startled expression.

Yami carefully buckled his belts around his waist and shook the water droplets out of his spiky blond bangs, "You can make burgers?"

"Yes." Kaiba responded arrogantly, grabbing Yami's towel and hanging it up for him, "Desserts aren't the only things I know how to make." And he gestured for Yami to follow him out of the bathroom.

Yami obliged, watching Kaiba adjust the sheets over the bed after sweeping his phones up from the pillows. Yami suddenly remembered Kaiba had gotten a call before he had stepped into the shower and he spoke up quickly, "There was second person who called?"

"Mokuba." Kaiba answered simply, "He's waiting for those burgers too, so we better hurry."

Yami nodded, following Kaiba out the door, slipping his own hand into his pocket, palming his phone. Yami clicked the screen on, shocked when he realized he had five missed calls from Yugi and two texts from Anzu.

Yami froze as Kaiba locked the door noisily in front of them, turning to head down the hallway.

Kaiba glanced at Yami, who was rooted to the spot, staring at his phone. It was probably Yugi.

Yami slid a shaking finger across the screen and read Anzu's texts, "Yugi and I visited the bakery again today. Hiro was actually fired. I hope you can reach him somehow."

The second text read, "Please call us back when you see this! Yugi has been looking all over campus for you!"

Oh...Yami breathed. While he had been blissfully asleep next to Kaiba, he had worried Yugi and Anzu.

Kaiba watched Yami frown at his phone and he peered over Yami's shoulder, mirroring Yami's frown as he read the texts.

"Call them back." Kaiba said, lightly gripping Yami by the wrist and leading him down the hallway and out towards the car.

Yami hesitated, watching as Kaiba opened the car door for him and stood off to the side, smiling gently. Yami's heart skipped a beat and he nodded, ducking into the car and hitting redial. He held the phone up to his ear, watching Kaiba circle the car and get in beside him, revving the engine enthusiastically.

"Yami!" Yugi's voice gasped in his ear as Yami watched Kaiba slowly pull out of the parking spot.

"Yugi." Yami responded carefully, keeping his tone even, fully aware that Kaiba was listening to every word he was going to say.

"Are you...okay? Where are you? We heard Hiro got fired..!" Yugi cried, and Yami could hear Anzu and Joey's voice in the background.

"He did." Yami said slowly as Kaiba stopped at a red light. "And he will be fine." Yami wasn't sure what Kaiba was planning, but now that he knew Hiro was Kaiba, this made everything easier. All he had to do now was let his friends know Hiro was fine.

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked, and Yami could practically feel his frown through the phone.

"Yes." Yami said carefully, "I saw him today, and I said goodbye."  
Truth, Yami thought darkly.

Kaiba tilted his head over at Yami, wondering what the hell he was talking about. Was he lying to Yugi? For his sake?

"Oh...I see." Yugi said slowly, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine, thank you Aibou." Yami said firmly, stealing a glance at Kaiba, noticing his knuckles had whitened over the steering wheel.

"Is there...something you need us to do?" Yugi asked, sounding extremely worried.

"Well," Yami began, choosing his next words very carefully a Kaiba powered the car forwards and eased onto the highway, "I would like you to know that I'm having dinner with Kaiba tonight. So please don't worry."

"Okay." Yugi said, sounding immensely relieved, "I'll let Anzu know that as well. We were both so worried about you! Send a text next time!"

"I lost track of time." Yami said quickly, trying to sound apologetic.

"Hmph." Yugi responded and he hung up on him.

Yami leaned the phone away from his face, oddly amused. The phone buzzed in his hand again, startling him. Yami realized it was a text from Anzu reading, "I'm happy for you. I'm glad you chose Kaiba."

Yami smiled secretly and clicked his phone off, slipping it back into his pocket and settling back into his seat.

Kaiba slowed the car to a roll as he paused by the gate entering his property, pressing the keys and throwing Yami a suspicious look.

"What was that about?" Kaiba asked, watching the gate slide back fluidly. He pulled the car forwards onto his driveway and into the garage, waiting for Yami's response.

Yami was quiet for a long while before responding with, "My friends were worried about Hiro. I told them everything was fine."

Kaiba leaned forwards and shut the engine off, wondering why the hell the dweeb squad cared about a total stranger.

"Good." Kaiba said slowly, pushing the door open and gracefully stepping out, watching Yami do the same.

"Kaiba, you ought to know your actions really affect the people around you in ways you can't imagine." Yami said, sounding slightly angry.

Kaiba ducked his head down, his bangs obscuring his eyes. "I'll apologize." He heard the soft thumping of footsteps rushing through the house, quickly approaching the garage door.

"Will you?" Yami asked coldly, gazing at him over the roof of the car.

"Yes." Kaiba said simply, "And you can watch."

Mokuba burst into the garage breathlessly, his eyes wild with excitement. "Seto!" He bounded across the garage, weaving through the cars before finally managing to throw his arms around his older brother.

Yami watched Mokuba grip his brother tightly and felt his anger fade. Kaiba was a man of his word. If he said he was going to apologize, he would.

"Ham..bur..gers! Ham..bur..gers!" Mokuba chanted, grabbing Seto's hand and dragging him towards the door leading into the house.

Kaiba stumbled forwards at the force of Mokuba's grasp, frowning slightly, "Where are your manners?"

"Welcome to our home Yami, please come in." Mokuba chanted automatically, not glancing over his shoulder, resolutely dragging his older brother up the garage steps and into the house.

Yami bit back a laugh as he followed the Kaiba brothers up the garage steps, walking carefully into a wide hallway, watching Mokuba's small shadow pull Kaiba's tall silhouette through a brightly lit doorway.

Mokuba had already cleverly set out all the ingredients along the counter and he let go of Seto's hand, quickly climbing into one of the bar stools, propping his head up eagerly on his hands.

"Are we gonna do this all the time?" Yami heard Mokuba ask excitedly as he took a seat beside Mokuba on the counter. He was going to thoroughly enjoy watching Kaiba cook a meal for them...hamburgers at that.

"No." Kaiba growled, sweeping his eyes across the counter, noticing that Mokuba had even set a pot of rice to boil. "You forgot to lay out the eggs."

Mokuba crossed his arms and let out a defiant huff of air, "Then you take it out. I'm not the one making it. I already got everything else out."

Yami let out an amused chuckle and Kaiba lifted his head up to gaze deeply into Yami's dark eyes. Yami was enjoying this, and that made him feel good.

Mokuba's eyes darted nervously between his brother and Yami, noticing how Seto's gaze lingered across Yami's face. He leaned over and waved his hand rudely in front of Yami's face, causing Yami to lean back and blink, startled.

"Stop making googly eyes! I'm hungry!" Mokuba demanded, sitting back into his seat with a huff.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at his younger brother, "Behave." And he turned to pull open the refrigerator, pulling out a carton of eggs and setting them on the counter.

Yami watched with great interest as Kaiba expertly cracked the eggs in a bowl and set it aside.

"Can I have a soda while I wait?" Mokuba asked, sliding off the kitchen stool slowly.

"You can grab your book and read while you wait." Kaiba responded lightly, picking up the mushrooms and onions Mokuba had set out, placing them onto the cutting board, slicing them neatly into tiny bits.

Mokuba shifted uncomfortably beside Yami, trying obviously not to make eye contact.

Yami watched Kaiba quickly scrape the mushroom and onion bits into a frying pan and flipped the heat on with a click, carefully sliding a pat of butter into the center of the pan, watching everything melt together and sizzle pleasantly.

"How was go-karting?" Yami asked lightly, addressing Mokuba casually.

"Fine." Mokuba said shortly, suddenly remembering the flowers Seto had sent Yami that day, realizing Yami still didn't know who Hiro was. He began to redden and itch in his seat.

A warm, pleasant smell of mushrooms and butter rose up around the kitchen and Yami's mouth began to water excitedly.

"That smells good Seto." Mokuba said loudly over the clinking and sizzling, eager to change the subject.

"I want to know how go-karting went." Kaiba responded seriously, quickly plating the mushrooms and onions into a separate bowl. He hurried over to the refrigerator and placed the bowl along the top shelf.

Yami blinked, confused. What was Kaiba doing?

Kaiba felt Yami's eyes on him and turned to throw Yami a dazzling smile, "The cold wraps the flavor in."

Yami nodded, growing lightheaded. Kaiba was so incredibly handsome, he was starting to wonder why he ever preferred Hiro over Kaiba.

Kaiba turned to peel the wrapper off the raw beef, quickly plopping into a glass bowl and sprinkling salt, pepper and sugar across it. He realized Mokuba had gone extremely quiet and Kaiba leaned over the bowl, staring at Mokuba.

"Tell me how go-karting was." Kaiba said firmly, turning to wash his hands in the sink.

Mokuba's face began to change color as he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. He recalled that Anzu and Yugi had been whispering fervently behind him on several occasions, and he had inadvertently caught the name "Hiro" and "Yami" time and again.

"It went fine!" Mokuba said loudly, watching Seto dip his hands into the bowl and begin kneading the meat. Mokuba threw a nervous glance at Yami, "Anzu...and Yugi were worried about..Hiro and Yami. But everything else was fun."

Mokuba glared at his older brother, hoping he would get the hint. Kaiba hurried back over to the fridge and frowned. They should probably tell Mokuba the Hiro fiasco had been resolved. He grabbed the bowl of mixed mushrooms and onions with a clean hand and quickly emptied it into the raw meat, slipping his other hand back into the bowl, kneading furiously.

Yami spoke up instantly, almost as if reading Kaiba's mind, "I know who Hiro is, Mokuba. Everything is fine."

Mokuba's eyes widened considerably and he curled his tiny hand into a fist. Good for Seto, he sorted that out. Now as long as Anzu never asked him who Hiro was, everything would be fine.

"Great." Mokuba said quietly, his eyes following Seto, watching him pour the eggs into the meat and continue kneading.

Kaiba glanced up swiftly and ducked his head back down, his face heating up with embarrassment as he continued to knead astutely.

Yami glanced between the Kaiba brothers nervously as the silence began to thicken in the kitchen.

Yami watched with increasing wonderment as Kaiba grabbed a chunk of meat and began patting it into a round shape in the palm of his hand, his slender fingers closing around it, slowly forming a patty.

Kaiba picked up a tiny cube of cheese from another bowl and pressed it into the center, carefully wrapping the ends of the meat around it, making a perfect, thick oval.

"How hungry are you Mokuba?" Kaiba asked quietly, sizing up the oval in his palm, weighing it. "Is this enough for you?"

"I'm very hungry!" Mokuba enunciated, eyeing the circle of meat in his older brother's hand. "Bigger!"

"Okay." Kaiba said, wrinkling his nose. It was so unhealthy for Mokuba to have so much meat so late, but Kaiba obliged. He turned to place the patty neatly into the pan and grabbed another chunk of meat from the bowl, carefully shaping it into another large oval, pressing a piece of cheese into the middle and closing the meat around it.

Yami swallowed, salivating intensely. It was like he was watching a live cooking show...except the host was a handsome billionaire, and his bratty kid brother was directing the show.

The rice cooker beeped pleasantly and Mokuba cheered, sliding off his stool to grab plates from the cabinets.

"Stay in your seat, there's hot oil here." Kaiba snapped, as Mokuba circled the counter, stopping mid-step, looking crest-fallen.

Yami bit back another laugh as he watched Mokuba drag his feet and sit himself down heavily into the stool.

Kaiba turned back around and quickly formed a third patty, carefully placing into the pan and washing his hands thoroughly in the sink, hearing Mokuba huff behind him.

"They're almost done." Kaiba growled, aware that they had made Mokuba wait because he had taken his sweet time in the shower with Yami.

Kaiba placed a glass lid over the simmering patties and popped the rice cooker open, reaching up over his head into the cabinets and bringing down three plates. He neatly spooned even amounts of rice into each plate and set it aside, hurrying back over to the refrigerator to grab a salad mix.

Yami watched as Kaiba emptied greens into another large glass bowl and deftly squeezed a wedge of lemon over the top, and then tossing it expertly with a pair of chopsticks. Yami's mouth watered painfully as he wondered if he could ever dine in a restaurant again after knowing Kaiba was so skilled at preparing food.

The delicious smell of beef, mushrooms, and cheese drifted up around them and Mokuba nodded appreciatively, turning to directly address Yami for the first time, "Thanks for coming over."

Yami blinked, taken aback by Mokuba's sudden friendliness. "You are welcome." He eyed Kaiba, who had his back turned towards them. Kaiba smiled secretly, giving the patties a firm flip and covering them once more.

Kaiba turned around to click the heat off the stove, lifting the cover off the pan. He gave the patties a firm press downwards, satisfied at their color. He lifted one out of the pan and set it on top of the rice in a plate, carefully placing a slice of cheese on top and sprinkling the salad alongside the steaming patty.

Mokuba watched Seto's movements hungrily, smiling widely as his older brother slid the plate across the counter towards him and handed him a knife and a fork.

"Thank you Seto!" Mokuba cried, glancing down at his beautifully arranged platter. Yami eyed Mokuba's plate, deeply impressed. It looked absolutely delicious, almost like it was sparkling.

Suddenly, a similar platter slid underneath Yami's nose and Yami blinked, smiling appreciatively at Kaiba, listening to the sounds of Mokuba's enthusiastic chewing beside him.

"There's more if you want." Kaiba said easily, wrapping up the leftover raw meat in the bowl and placing it into the refrigerator.

Mokuba jerked his head up quickly, "Seto I want a drink...please!"

Kaiba sighed heavily and grabbed a can of soda off from the side shelf, quickly picking out a wine as well. He set them onto the counter and slid the soda across the counter, watching Mokuba grab at it eagerly.

Yami eyed the wine, watching as Kaiba placed two crystal glasses onto the counter with a light clink right next to his own plate of food.

Mokuba smacked his lips loudly and sighed contentedly, "Hamburger steak and soda. Best combination!"

Yami smiled gently at Mokuba. Kaiba leaned over his food and cut into the meat delicately, seeing Yami's eyes widen as the cheese flowed gloriously out from the center of the patty.

"I'll stuff it with less cheese next time." Kaiba said gently, tilting his head at Yami who was still staring at him, wide-eyed, his food untouched. "You'll want to eat it while it's hot, or the cheese will harden inside."

Yami swallowed and nodded, picking up his utensils and enthusiastically cutting into his meat, watching with amazement as cheese spilled out onto his plate, pooling over the rice. Incredible.

"Sit...next to me." Mokuba said, swallowing too quickly, causing his eyes to water slightly.

Kaiba quickly broke the seal along the wine bottle and popped the cork with ease, filling the wine glasses up generously and handing one to Yami, who accepted it politely.

"Seto...?" Mokuba said, sounding anxious. Kaiba nodded quickly and circled the counter. He pulled the stool out and eased himself gracefully beside Mokuba. He reached a long arm across the counter and pulled his plate towards himself, his slender fingers gripping the wine stem delicately.

Yami dipped his head down and began to eat enthusiastically, his stomach gnawing at him as he realized how hungry he was. All of the rigorous lovemaking had taken a huge amount of energy out of him. The meat was juicy and delicious. Paired with the cheese and wine, Yami felt as though he was dining like a king, even if it was a meal of Mokuba's choice.

He eyed Mokuba beside him, who was blocking his view of Kaiba. Mokuba lifted his head and smiled widely, grabbing his drink and sipping it noisily, the sounds of their eating echoing pleasantly around the kitchen.

Cute, thought Yami, amused.

Mokuba turned to grin at Seto, who was quietly eating beside him on his left, and he could feel Yami's warmth radiating from his right.

Mokuba felt himself heat up again, and he smiled into his food, his eyes blurring slightly at the corners.

He was feeling weirdly happy again.  
Would they be doing this often?

Because it felt like they were a family, every time he and Seto had dinner with Yami.

Kaiba watched Mokuba bow his head down and pause with a chunk of hamburger hanging precariously off his fork.

"What's wrong, Mokuba?" Kaiba asked, wondering if he had under-cooked a certain portion, although he was pretty sure he hadn't.

Mokuba shook his head and continued eating, polishing his plate off in a flash, noisily scraping the remaining grains of rice into his mouth. He slid off his stool, making sure he didn't accidentally elbow Yami as he grabbed his plate and ran it over to the sink.

"Walk.." Kaiba growled, watching Mokuba scramble towards the kitchen door.

Mokuba turned to throw Seto a haughty look, "Is Yami sleeping over again?"

Kaiba blinked, taken aback by the question. He threw Yami a mischievous look, "Is he?"

Yami felt himself sweat. Spending the night...with Kaiba? Sleeping in his bed, which completely and totally smelled like Hiro's cologne?

"Well?" Mokuba prompted, noticing Yami's hand gripping the wine glass tightly. Was Yami staying or was he not? He wanted to know!

Kaiba winked playfully at Yami and Yami felt himself blush deeply.

"Probably..." Yami said slowly staring down at his food, unable to look Mokuba in the eye. Mokuba was too innocent...!

"Kay." Mokuba said shortly, turning a heel and stomping up the stairs. Yami heard a door slam and he felt himself smile.

"Probably?" Kaiba echoed, sipping his wine casually, observing Yami from over the rim of his wine glass. "'Yes' would've sounded better."

Yami nodded and felt Kaiba's clear blue gaze burn right through him. He slipped his hand into his pocket, gripping his phone tightly, "I need to let Yugi know. But yes, most likely."

Kaiba smirked and stood smoothly, walking towards the sink and placing his empty plate into it with a soft clink. He turned and leaned against the counter, watching Yami carefully.

Yami tapped Yugi's name in his phone, listening as the phone rang in his ear. Yugi picked up after the fourth ring, "Yami..? Are you..still out with Kaiba?"

"Yes." Yami responded simply, tapping his fork nervously against his empty plate.

Kaiba frowned lightly and sipped his wine, rolling the liquid around in his mouth, wondering why Yami was so anxious.

Yugi heard the clinking through the phone, "Are you...have dinner with him?!"

"Yes." Yami responded, eyeing Kaiba carefully, watching his adam's apple bob enticingly as he threw back the last of his wine. He felt himself heat up uncomfortably again. They were going to be doing dirty things later, upstairs, in Kaiba's bedroom, Yami was sure of it.

"Okay." Yugi said, sounding worried.

"I'll be spending the night too." Yami said carefully, holding his breath. What would Yugi think, of him suddenly running into Kaiba's arms for comfort, after Hiro seemingly abandoned him? Fickle...probably.

"You're...what?!" Yugi cried, his panic was seeping through the phone.

"I'll be fine." Yami said firmly, gripping his fork tightly. He knew Kaiba wanted Hiro to disappear easily, so the less questions he managed to incite out of Yugi, the better.

"You're..um..are you guys..." Yugi stammered and suddenly, Anzu's voice drifted through the receiver, "Have you spent the entire day with him?!"

Yami blinked as Kaiba slid the fork out of his hand and took his plate away. "Yes.." Yami responded, watching Kaiba hook their wine glasses through his slender fingers and gesture towards the doorway.

Kaiba frowned as he walked towards the grand staircase. Yami was being oddly cryptic on the phone, only answering with 'Yes's and 'I'll be fine'.

He was fully aware that the Yugi gang would not approve of whatever was happening between him and Yami.

He had made himself out to be the villain more often times than not, and now, suddenly whisking Yami away, would only add to his terrible track record. Kaiba approached his desk and set the wine glasses down across the steel surface.

He reached into the drawers and pulled out the gift card he had bought several weeks ago. Kaiba sat down, pulling out a pen and a sheet of paper and began to write.

Downstairs, Yami gripped the edge of the counter tightly as Anzu's voice echoed in his ear. Kaiba had left him alone...why?

Yami figured Kaiba probably didn't care how the phone call went, because if he needed to head home, a car would take him wherever he needed to go.

"Okay, Yami?" Anzu finished, sounding breathless.

"Yes, Anzu." Yami responded. He hadn't heard a word she said.

Suddenly, Yugi's voice sounded in his ear, "Just be safe. Call if you need anything..,. _anything!_ Okay?!"

"Yes, yes Aibou." Yami said wearily. His friends were honestly starting to wear him out. He hung up and stuck the phone back into his pocket, standing up cautiously, the silence ringing in his ears.

Yami was pretty sure he had heard Kaiba walk upstairs, so he stepped carefully through the large house, eyeing the tall shadows the furniture cast along the walls.

He made his way up the grand staircase, noticing a soft light coming from behind a door at the end of the hallway. Yami walked straight towards it, carefully pushing the door aside, unsurprised to see Kaiba bent over the desk, intently writing something.

"Kaiba..?" Yami asked softly, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Seto." Kaiba said, gritting his teeth slightly. Getting Yami to call him by his first name was going to take some work.

"Seto." Yami responded firmly, approaching the desk, watching as Kaiba stood fluidly and handed him a white envelope. Yami's heart skipped a beat. What was this, a love letter?

He took it from Kaiba's hands, noting that felt oddly heavy. He made a motion to open it but Kaiba's hand wrapped around his wrist, stopping him.

"If you saw Hiro today and _"said goodbye"_ , he gave that to you," Kaiba said carefully, his grip tightening around Yami's wrist, "Pass it along to your friends."

Kaiba let got of Yami and circled the desk. Yami frowned at the envelope, slightly disappointed.

"What's in it?" Yami asked, turning the envelope over, mildly surprised that Kaiba had written, _"Everyone, thank you for our short time together."_ across the center.

 _Interesting._ Yami mused, reading the line over and over again, Kaiba's thin, elegant handwriting burning into his vision. The phrase sounded so alien coming from Kaiba, but coming from Hiro...perfectly polite and reasonable.

"You'll know what's inside when they open it." Kaiba responded mysteriously, leaning the small of his back against the desk.

Yami gripped the envelope tightly and resisted the urge to glare at Kaiba, "I want to know now."

Kaiba tilted his head, amused, his eyes gleaming in the semi-darkness, "Get on the bed and I'll tell you."

Yami blinked, and narrowed his eyes. "Fine."

He set the envelope down by the nightstand and sat gingerly on the edge of Kaiba's bed, noticing the sheets were once again neatly made, and scent-free.

Kaiba smirked and got up off the desk, slowly advancing towards Yami. Too...easy.

"Hiro's cologne." Yami said suddenly, his fingers gripping the sheets beneath him tightly, "Show me Hiro's cologne."

Kaiba paused in his step and bit back a low growl. _Seriously?!_

Yami crossed his arms and looked slightly hostile.

 _Fine_ , Kaiba thought moodily, turning a heel and striding into the bathroom, flinging the cabinet door open with unnecessary force. His hands wrapped around the slender glass bottle and he stormed over towards Yami, holding it up for him to see.

"This?!" Kaiba said aggressively, tossing it onto the bed beside Yami, sitting down across from him on the mattress, his heart thudding loudly in his ears. He was aware that people reacted positively to pleasant scents and he was beginning to regret taking Kit's advice.

Yami picked it up curiously, uncapping it carefully and sniffing. A heavenly, light scent, reminding him of fresh grass after rain drifted slowly upwards. Yes, this was definitely it.

Yami raised his eyes up to meet Kaiba's apprehensive gaze, "What about the hair color? And the eye color?"

Kaiba blinked at him, not amused. "They're in bottles and packets in my cabinet. I'm throwing them out."

Yami nodded, feeling oddly disappointed. He wasn't sure if it was from knowing he would never see Kaiba dressed like that again...or if it was because he wanted Kaiba to make love to him...while looking like that.

Kaiba caught the look of disappointment flitting across Yami's face and he felt a bubble of resentment rise up inside him.

"Fine I'll keep them. Not sure what I'll ever need them for, but I'll keep them." Kaiba said hastily, watching Yami's expression brighten. Jesus, what the fuck.

Yami smiled secretly, vowing to himself that one day, he could convince Kaiba to use up the remaining dye, and make love to him afterwards.

Kaiba grabbed the bottle of cologne and set it on the nightstand. He rolled over across the mattress, reaching over to firmly grab Yami from around the waist, dragging him further onto the bed.

Yami felt the heat from Kaiba's hands snake around his waist and he squirmed, blushing slightly.

Kaiba raised a hand to lightly press Yami's head into the crook of his shoulder as he shut his eyes tiredly, "Sleep."

Yami blinked, his eyes wide open. He wasn't the least bit sleepy. Yami gazed down across Kaiba's slender frame, realizing Kaiba was still dressed in Hiro's clothes.

He smiled softly and snuggled his head deeper into Kaiba's shoulder, enjoying Kaiba's warmth.

Yami watched Kaiba's chest rise and fall gently, and he gripped the fabric of Kaiba's shirt, feeling slightly disappointed. Were they going to do something dirty? Or were they just going to sleep?

Kaiba cracked an eyelid open, seeing Yami blink hopefully up at him. "What?" Kaiba asked, leaning his head back into the pillows, his heart pounding, feeling his head grow heavy.

Yami blinked expectantly, staring at Kaiba's dark eyelashes which were softly brushing across his high cheekbones.

"Nothing." Yami said simply, tucking his head back into the crook of Kaiba's shoulder, thinking he had probably worn Kaiba out for the day.

Kaiba began to drift off, Yami's warmth beside him was so calming and relaxing.

Yami blinked, shifting himself around Kaiba, propping his head up on one arm, staring at Kaiba's sleeping form. He eased himself down, nuzzling his nose into Kaiba's side, throwing an arm over Kaiba's muscular torso, giving him a firm squeeze, feeling extremely content. This felt right. Finally.

Suddenly, Yami heard a soft knock at the door and he sat up slowly, his head spinning, spots swimming in his vision. He was more tired than he'd originally thought.

He eased off the bed, careful not to wake Kaiba as he tiptoed over to the door, creaking it open slightly. Mokuba stood before him, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Mokuba..?" Yami said uncertainly, throwing a glance over his shoulder at Kaiba's sleeping form.

Mokuba's eyes shot open and he wavered on the spot slightly. "Oh, h-hi Yami."

"Can't sleep?" Yami said sympathetically, opening the door wider so that Mokuba could see his older brother fast asleep on the bed behind him.

Mokuba's voice caught in his throat, noticing that Seto was on the very far edge of the bed..meaning..Yami was probably sleeping right next to him just now.

Yami watched Mokuba blink, and his mind began to race. How do you deal with children? Milk was probably a good idea...

"How about a glass of milk?" Yami suggested gently, the word 'Aibou' almost slipping off the edge of his tongue.

Mokuba swallowed nervously and nodded, watching Yami step past him and head down the stairs.

"Wait up here." Yami said blithely, heading down the dark staircase, his heart fluttering strangely. Mokuba was much like a younger version of Yugi in some ways, and Yami pushed the thought out of his mind, hurrying through the dark house and into the kitchen, realizing he had left the lights on.

Yami pulled the refrigerator door open and grabbed the jug of milk, quickly reaching up into the cabinets where he had seen Kaiba store the glasses away earlier. He grabbed one and quickly filled it with milk, capping the jug and hastily placing it back into the refrigerator, the silence of the large house ringing in his ears.

 _This is one of the reasons why Kaiba is so high-strung_ , Yami thought privately as he carefully carried the glass though the kitchen, making sure to flip the lights off, throwing the everything around him into darkness. _Being alone and surrounded by suffocating silence does that to a human being._

Yami made his way through the dark hallway, realizing he was quickly familiarizing himself with the Kaiba mansion. That thought disturbed him as well as he quickly pushed it out of his mind, carefully walking up the steps of the grand staircase.

He heard rustling coming from behind the door to Kaiba's room and Yami eased his way inside, realizing with a jolt that Mokuba had snuggled up warmly beside Kaiba...in his spot.

This child...Yami thought darkly, amused, slowly approaching the bed, holding the glass of milk out in front of him.

"Mokuba, do you want this now, or later?" Yami asked quietly, carefully setting the milk on the nightstand.

Mokuba sat up slowly, looking extremely sleepy, "Thank you Yami..I'll drink it now."

Yami watched as Mokuba scooted comically over towards the nightstand, dragging his bottom lazily across the top of the sheets.

"You'll wake him." Yami said lightly, watching Kaiba shift in his sleep.

Mokuba smirked and raised the glass to his lips, chugging the milk vigorously.

Yami circled the bed, his mind racing. Mokuba seemed to be very possessive of his older brother, perhaps he ought to leave for the night.

Mokuba eyed Yami headily, watching him stand beside Seto, gazing longingly down at him.

"Which side are you sleeping on?" Mokuba asked suddenly, setting the glass down with a light clink.

Yami blinked at him. Which...side?

"Let's roll Seto over." Mokuba suggested evilly, pushing the sleeves up on his pajamas and getting up on his knees, "I'll sleep on this side. You get the other side."

Yami swallowed nervously, his heart racing. Sure, the bed was big enough...for five people even, but rolling Kaiba over in his sleep? He didn't want to be murdered tonight.

"Just push him over to me while I pull." Mokuba insisted, tugging at the comforter beneath his older brother, "He won't wake up, because he never sleeps...!"

Yami hesitated, then nodded, leaning forwards, bracing his arms across Kaiba's shoulders.

"Ready?" Yami whispered, his heart thudding loudly in his chest as Kaiba's breath passed across his cheek. He couldn't believe what he was doing. Was he honestly rolling Seto Kaiba over in his own bed with the help of his younger brother, just so they could sleep next to him?

"Yes, ready!" Mokuba grinned, gripping the comforter tightly. He wouldn't mind sharing a bed with Yami if Seto was between them. The bed was so freaking big anyway, it's not like it mattered.

Yami held his breath and leaned Kaiba over onto his side carefully, feeling the covers slip out from beneath him as Mokuba cleverly pulled Kaiba's weight towards himself.

Kaiba slumped over heavily, face down onto the pillows, his brown hair splayed every which way and Yami bit back a laugh. Mokuba snorted and threw Yami a mischievous grin, "Is there enough room over there for you now?"

Yami nodded, deeply amused. Kaiba was in for a shock when he woke up.

"Kay. Night." Mokuba said roughly, rolling himself up over the covers and throwing an arm around Seto's neck.

Yami smiled and slid himself beneath the covers, feeling Kaiba's warmth against his legs. This was oddly amusing.

He laid down and stared at Mokuba's tiny fingers curled through Kaiba's light brown hair and he draped an arm over Kaiba's muscular back, feeling himself chuckle again.

The warmth from Kaiba beside him and from the soft sheets above him felt heavenly. Mokuba's soft snores echoed around in the room comfortingly, quickly lulling Yami into a deep sleep.

* * *

Kaiba felt oddly hot as he slowly began to wake up. He tried to turn over, but realized he was immobilized. Kaiba frowned, still keeping his eyes resolutely shut. He sighed. It felt early...too early.

He tried moving his legs but realized his legs were trapped too, beneath...two sets of legs. Kaiba's eyes shot open and he jerked awake, realizing he was face down, his chin propped across the pillows. He looked over to his left and Mokuba's sleeping face angled back at a comical tilt as he snored lightly beside him.

Okay..Kaiba growled, shifting himself slightly, feeling another body move on his right. Kaiba froze again, his blood running cold. Who the fuck..?! He twisted his head around and was met with a noseful of spiky blonde bangs.

Oh...oh my god. Kaiba panicked, feeling his heart rate increase so fast his chest began to hurt. The legs laying over his legs..belonged to Yami and Mokuba. The arms across his back..belonged to Yami and Mokuba.

Kaiba shut his eyes tightly, feeling his eyelids sting. He could've sworn he had just fallen asleep with Yami last night. Mokuba must've joined them at some point in the middle of the night. He was immediately thankful that he and Yami didn't do anything dirty in the bed before falling asleep.

He carefully pushed himself upwards, feeling Mokuba's legs slide off of him, while Yami's arm tightened over his back. Shit. Kaiba paused, turning his head to gaze at Yami, who had his eyes half-open, smiling blissfully up at him, blonde bangs framing his face beautifully.

Kaiba's heart skipped a beat and he leaned forwards to place a soft kiss across Yami's cheek without thinking. Yami raised a sleepy hand and tangled it thought Kaiba's hair, pulling him closer, parting his mouth slightly. Was Kaiba leaving for the day already..? It was too early!

Kaiba felt himself grow aroused and he tensed, pulling back with an immense effort. He wasn't about to fuck Yami with Mokuba fast asleep right next to them...that would be wrong.

"Don't..go." Yami mumbled, raising his head to look up at at Kaiba blearily.

Kaiba sat up slowly, the covers falling down around his elbows softly. "I'll see you later today. I'm going into the bakery. Isono will drive you wherever you need to go."

Yami shut his eyes sleepily, Kaiba's gentle voice enveloping him warmly. "Okay."

Kaiba nodded, realizing Yami had already fallen back asleep. He eased off the bed and tucked the covers up around Mokuba's chin, barely registering the empty glass of milk on the night stand.

He strode over to the closet and quickly changed into a dress shirt, tucking the ends into a pair of white jeans, clipping a belt bearing his logo across his waist. Kaiba glanced at himself in the mirror, satisfied with his appearance.

He walked out the door, throwing a glance over his shoulder at Yami and Mokuba, who were leaning closer towards each other on the bed. He smiled and felt himself grow warm, carefully shutting the door quietly behind him.

* * *

Kaiba pulled into the spot behind the bakery and stepped out of the car, closing the door softly behind him. He listened intently for the bark of a dog and heard none.

He strode into the alleyway and tested the employee entrance, pleased to see that it was unlocked. Kaiba pulled the door open and stepped into the familiar kitchen, surprised to see June rushing around the counter, setting out glass bowls and a carton of eggs.

"June." Kaiba said quietly, and June glanced up, almost dropped the entire carton of eggs as she gaped at him, her eyes wide.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Kaiba spoke up again, "Good morning. I'll take it from here."

June opened and closed her mouth, attempting to speak but realized her voice had gone. Was that really Seto Kaiba really standing in front of her?!

Kaiba smiled gently and moved to grab the eggs out of her hands, placing them along the counter, pulling a glass bowl towards him.

"Macarons." June managed, pressing a fist to her chest as she felt her heart begin to hurt. Was this pain coming from a heart attack or an anxiety attack?

Kaiba tilted his head, "Macarons? Okay. You can start mixing the cream." He carefully sifted the yolk out of the egg and deposited the egg whites into a separate glass bowl just as Jason came striding in through the flaps.

"Junie, the register is dollar short-" Jason blinked, processing the strange scene unfolding in his kitchen. His niece was whipping cream in a bowl while Seto Kaiba stood across from her, sifting yolks out of eggs.

"Good morning." Kaiba said, keeping his head down, not making eye contact. He grabbed the sugar, measuring out an even amount before dumping it into the egg white mixture.

Jason blinked and stared, unable to find his voice. He wavered for a moment before speaking, "What happened to your hair?"

Kaiba paused in his motions, unsure of how to answer this. This was his normal hair color. Unless...Jason was still going to casually address him as Hiro and treat him as such.

"I dyed it." Kaiba replied calmly, fully aware that the logo on his belt didn't give anything away. He was Seto fucking Kaiba for sure.

"Well I liked it better black." Jason answered shortly, eyeing Kaiba's oddly formal outfit. It suddenly dawned on him that , Seto Kaiba had willingly come in, to work for him.

"We're making macarons and green tea cakes today." Jason continued, his spirits rising, thinking, aside from Kaiba's crazy antics as Hiro, it would be greatly beneficial to develop a positive relationship with him. "And you can take one back with you if you have time to make an extra one."

Jason crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, watching Kaiba whisk the sugar into the egg whites. He realized he had actually really liked Hiro, aside from the fact that he had turned out to be Domino City's number one public face.

June's eyes darted anxiously between Kaiba and her uncle, unable to believe her ears. Did that mean Hiro was forgiven?

Kaiba nodded slowly, and smiled calmly at Jason, feeling like they had finally come to an understanding, a deeper one. This man might actually be his friend...

Jason turned a heel and strode out through the kitchen flaps. June let out a small sigh of relief and smiled at Kaiba, faltering when she realized he was looking right at her.

She blushed and ducked her head down into her bowl of whipped cream, her ears reddening, thinking it was somehow more real now that Kaiba had come in with brown hair and blue eyes. At least when he was Hiro, June could keep fooling herself.

* * *

Yami cracked an eyelid open and came nose to nose with a crop of black hair. He blinked and rolled over onto his back, staring up at the high ceiling, noticing tiny slits of sunlight coming in from the thin slanted windows hugging the ceiling. So, this was what Kaiba saw every morning when he woke up.

Yami sat up slowly and smiled gently down at Mokuba beside him, who was still snoring softly, noticing that the covers had been tucked purposefully beneath his chin.

He eased out of bed, shivering slightly as he remembered Kaiba's kiss from earlier this morning. He could get used to this...easily.

Yami grabbed the white envelope off from the nightstand and hurried out the door, rushing down the grand staircase, wondering how he could contact Isono.

He stood at the foot of the stairs, gripping his phone tightly before deciding to send Kaiba a text message.

"Good morning, Seto! I'm on my way to the university. Where might I find Isono?" Yami wrote, and he read it over once before sending it, feeling pleasantly warm inside. It was almost 10AM, and Yami knew it Kaiba had been awake for a while already, but he wanted to say it anyway. It felt nice. It felt right.

Kaiba felt his phone buzz just as he twisted the bag of cream shut, and June heard it too, perking up quickly, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear.

"Give me a moment." Kaiba said quickly, dipping his hands into his pocket and sliding out his phone. He read the text and smiled widely, his heart skipping a beat.

"Who..is it?" June asked bravely, thinking to herself, if it was Hiro, she would've asked anyway.

"Yami." Kaiba said happily, typing out a response and sending it. He looked up and saw June blinking at him, confused.

"The Other Yugi." Kaiba added, watching June's expression change into one of delight.

"You two made up?!" June exclaimed happily, forgetting herself for a moment. She sobered up instantly, reminding herself that she was talking with Seto Kaiba, and not one of her classmates.

Kaiba caught this and decided to nod, more enthusiastically than usual. He could tell June was having a hard time being herself around him.

"We did. He slapped me. Twice." Kaiba said plainly, beginning to pipe the cream along the edge of the cake in neat little puffs.

June stifled a gasp and bit her lip painfully, feeling a laugh bubble up in her chest. She swallowed it, unsure if she could laugh...

Kaiba heard Jason come up from behind him and this time he was ready. He stood back and eyed Jason readily, watching Jason's eyes sweep the counter, glancing over the macarons which were cooling on the rack and down at the half-finished cake in front of him.

"He slapped you twice, you say?" Jason said indifferently, "I think you earned a punch or two."

June gasped again, her chest beginning to hurt from all the air she had been holding back, "Uncle..J!"

"You can't hit me if you can't reach me." Kaiba responded readily. He didn't disagree. Yami was about to punch him several times...if he hadn't dodged them. He was almost choked to death though.

Kaiba pushed the memory out from his mind quickly, unsure if he would've preferred that, or the punches.

"Right..I'll cash those punches in on a rainy day." Jason replied with a playful grin.

"I dare you to try." Kaiba sniffed, easing another swirl of cream lightly across the edge of the cake. "This cake is mine by the way."  
He was going to gift this to Yami because he was pretty sure his last cake was stolen by Yugi and his friends.

Jason nodded stiffly and exited the kitchen again, with June watching him go.

Meanwhile, outside, Yami was being crushed into a tight embrace by Anzu and Yugi, who had leapt onto him the moment they laid eyes on him. Joey and Tristan hovered around them nervously, shuffling their feet.

Yami could feel his body growing numb as Yugi continued to squeeze the air out of him. "Yu..gi, can't..breathe." Yami gasped and Yugi released him, hands tightening around his shoulders as he gazed into his eyes.

"Tell us what happened!" Yugi exclaimed, frowning deeply and Anzu nodded, eyeing the white envelope in Yami's hand.

"Here." Yami said, raising the envelope tentatively, his heart racing. What had Kaiba written that he wouldn't let him see?

Anzu took it from him and read the front, sounding surprised, "Everyone, thank you for our short time together."

"How nice." Tristan said sarcastically, "Kaiba made sure it was short, now didn't he?"

Yami felt his stomach tighten uncomfortably and he stared at the envelope, "Please open it. I want to see what it says."

Yugi nodded enthusiastically beside him.

Anzu carefully unstuck the flap of the envelope and everyone crowded around her, trying to read it.

"Guys, give me some air! I'll read it out loud!" Anzu cried, elbowing Joey in the chest.

"Ack..!" Joey gasped, patting his chest, "Fine fine. Read it then!"

Yami blinked anxiously, feeling Yugi wrap his hand through his, squeezing him reassuringly.

"This is a gift, please accept it." Anzu read, flipping another tiny white envelope out from the folds of the letter, "I'm sorry to have worried everyone-"

Joey snatched the tiny envelope out of Anzu's hand and ripped it open, screaming loudly as he waved a red card in front of Tristan's face, who also began screaming loudly.

"Stop..! Shut up!" Anzu cried, glancing around them frantically as their cries echoed off the buildings around them. Students were turning to glare or stare at them as they walked by.

"What is it?!" Yugi asked, letting go of Yami's hand and rushing over towards Joey.

"Food..!" Tristan gasped, "How much?! How much?!"

Anzu frowned, visibly confused. Tristan reached over Anzu's shoulder and snatched the letter out of her hands, scanning it frantically, "OH MY GOD! 50,000 yen!* For burgers!"

Joey made a gleeful face and kissed the card, looking as if he was about to wet himself from happiness.

"What?!" Anzu snapped, grabbing the letter out of Tristan's hands and scanning it thoroughly, "It says here that he used all the wages from the bakery to purchase this gift for us. Because...he doesn't need it anymore. _'Please enjoy these meals for me'_ , he says."

Yugi and Joey were now scrambling over each other to get a good look at the small, plastic card.

"Oh, I'll enjoy it..!" Yugi cried, jostling Joey roughly and grabbing the card triumphantly.

Yami felt himself sway on the spot. Kaiba...clever as usual.

Anzu glanced at Yami, who looked genuinely shocked.

"That's probably why he didn't want you opening it on the spot." Anzu said gently, "Otherwise you would've just given it straight back to him. All his wages...! For those losers." Anzu smiled at Yugi, Joey and Tristan who were all bent over their phones, texting excitedly.

"Right." Yami said faintly. 50,000 yen was pennies to Kaiba. He was pretty sure the real reason Kaiba didn't want him opening the envelope was because his reaction to the contents of the letter wouldn't be genuine, and his friends could sniff a lie on him from a mile away.

"May I keep the letter?" Yami asked faintly, reaching a hand out towards Anzu. He didn't want them inevitably matching Kaiba's handwriting to the note he had received with the flowers earlier that week. If Anzu wasn't so distracted by Joey and Tristan, she would've noticed.

Anzu nodded and pressed the letter into Yami's hands, watching his reaction carefully.

Yami felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he slipped it out, pleased to see it was a text from Kaiba.

_"I'm in the parking lot, and I have a surprise for you."_

Yami's eyes widened and his heart began to race.

"Who is it?" Yugi asked, fully knowing the answer. Yami had just smiled stupidly at his screen; it had to be Kaiba.

"Kaiba." Yami said simply, pressing the phone against his pounding heart, "I'm leaving now. He says he's here to pick me up."

"What." Anzu said wearily, "You have another class to get to."

Yami smiled blithely at her, "I'll show up..eventually."

Yugi shook his head and frowned, "Maybe if you're so close with Kaiba, get him to pay the rest of our tuition."

Yami smiled widely. He would have no problem asking Kaiba to do that. He nodded and turned to walk towards the bakery.

"See you later." Yami said casually, willing his face to remain neutral.

"Bye!" Everyone chorused, waving enthusiastically and once again looking back down at the gift card.

Feeling elated, Yami hurried across campus and crossed the street, passing a line of people queued up at the bakery doors, chattering excitedly.

Yami caught a glimpse of June at the counter and he could've sworn she waved at him as he passed by the glass windows.

He ducked his head down politely and circled the building, hurrying through the narrow alleyway, catching a glimpse of a white sports car parked behind the building. His pulse quickened and Yami wondered if Kaiba had dyed his hair again.

He approached the car and saw Kaiba leaning handsomely against the hood, holding a large paper box with white and mint green stripes, his light brown hair gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"My cake!" Yami exclaimed rushing forwards and peering through the film covering the top. He could see the delicate swirls of cream surrounded the edge, with pretty little flowers trailing off the sides. In the center, two sugar sculptures sat beautifully beside each other.

Yami blinked and stuck his nose closer towards the film, unable to believe his eyes. A crystal clear, miniature Blue Eyes White Dragon sat adorably next to a miniature Dark Magician.

"What..how...did you make that?!" Yami gasped blinking wildly. He wanted to open the box to get a closer look, the film was obscuring too many details!

"It's sugar." Kaiba said happily, pressing his lips warmly across Yami's forehead, feeling Yami shiver happily in response. "The bakery will now be offering custom sugar sculpture toppers on cakes, for special events like birthdays, weddings, you name it."

"Yes, but, how did you make it?!" Yami cried, lifting the box out of Kaiba's hands and turning it in the light, watching the tiny duel monsters sparkle back at him in the light. It was too beautiful to eat. They looked so real! This was a solid lump of clear sugar!

"You just...mold it. It's like clay while it's still hot. Use some tweezers, clippers, some patience..." Kaiba smiled secretly, recalling Jason's angry face watching him as he discarded about 50 versions of the sculptures before he had produced anything that remotely resembled what he was aiming for.

"Amazing!" Yami whispered, his arms trembling as he gripped the box tightly.

"Don't...press the edges like that." Kaiba said hastily, placing warm hands on either sides of Yami's hands and lifting them away gently. "You'll ruin the cream along the sides."

"I want to open it..! I want to open it!" Yami cried, wildly excited. Kaiba gently lifted the box out of Yami's hands and Yami sensually looped his arms around Kaiba's neck. "Thank you..so much. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

Kaiba smiled gently and felt Yami press his lips warmly across his, and his smile widened, an image of Yami pushed up against the kitchen counter with cream spread over his nipples flashed through his mind.

He pulled out of the kiss quickly, feeling Yami gasp.

"Get in the car. We'll eat it the second we get back." Kaiba said devilishly, giving Yami a playful nudge.

Yami blinked and nodded, quickly releasing Kaiba and hurrying over to the passenger side door, hearing the locks click open loudly. He couldn't agree more.

* * *

● ● ●  
END  
● ● ●

* * *

**Author's note:**

**[[Story visualizer]](http://uglifish.tumblr.com/post/177224741264/story-visualizer-soleil-boulangerie-more) **

*50,000 yen = roughly $450 USD

*Sugar sculpture art I am referring to is called _"Amezaiku"_ which takes years and years to perfect. LOL I am exaggerating by saying Kaiba managed to sculpt that shit after 50 tries. #impossibledaiyo

Yami and Kaiba have some v sexy food play, I'll leave that up to your imagination, reader! Or I might write a one-shot later if the mood strikes me.

Please check out the other fic I am currently publishing on teh regular (case 001)

xo  
UGLI


	19. 2018 Valentine's Day Add-on

**Author’s note:**

What??!?!! An update for this fic?!?!  
  
Hey Ugli, I thought you said this story was over.  
Well…yes and no.  
  
Due to popular demand, and wonderful encouraging from another talented prideship writer, **FictionalSadist** , here is a Valentine’s Day bonus bonus chapter!! @v@/// *cheering in the distance

EnjoyEnjoyEnjoyEnjoyEnjoy!!  
This chapter is just a short, 2,000 word chap of random smut.  
Happy Valentine’s day!

I wrote this super quick after coming back late from a midterm…heh, so there may be errors.

Hugs,  
Ugli

* * *

Yami kept his hands tucked under his thighs, watching the scenery zip by outside his window, keenly aware of Kaiba in the driver’s seat beside him.

He snuck a glance over at Kaiba and looked away quickly as Kaiba threw him a boyish grin. He felt his heart swell as he glanced down at the cake in his lap, staring at the tiny sugar sculptures gleaming in the sun.

It was too good to be true.

Yami snuck another glance at Kaiba, staring at the way the sun glinted off strands of his light brown hair and felt his stomach swoop nervously as he remembered earlier that week, that Kaiba had been dressed as Hiro, sitting there right beside him, smiling just like that.

It _was_ too good to be true.

“Kaiba,” Yami began, feeling the lurch to a gentle stop at a red light, and he tightened his grip around the cake box as he felt it slipping along his thighs.

Kaiba nodded silently, gripping the wheel tighter, thinking Yami’s tone sounded unusually grave.

“I want to see it,” Yami said amicably, tracing the edge of the cake box with a trembling finger. “You, as Hiro.”

Kaiba clenched his jaw so hard, he felt his head hurt. What the fuck?  
Did Yami want more proof?  
The sex at Hiro’s apartment wasn’t enough?  
Washing the black hair dye down the drain right in front of him wasn’t enough?

“What is the problem?” Kaiba growled, pulling the car into his spacious driveway and shutting off the engine.

The silence in the car was long and suffocating as Kaiba waited for Yami to speak.

“There is no problem,” Yami answered lightly, tensing as he realized he had struck a nerve somewhere. How could he delicately ask Kaiba to fuck him while he was dressed as Hiro…without making it sound offensive?  
Please dye your hair again?  
I don’t mind it when you wear brown contacts?

“Good,” Kaiba replied shortly, and he eased out of the car, watching Yami follow suit with his eyes averted.

Yami followed Kaiba up the steps of his mansion, his eyes burning from the solid whiteness of the marble. He saw the door swing open and Mokuba stood before them, frowning deeply, “Hey Seto…you’re back early!”

And his gaze landed on Yami, hovering uncertainly behind his brother, holding a cake box and looking nervous.

Mokuba opened his mouth to speak, but shut it immediately when his brother pushed past him and into the house, pointing towards the living room.

“Play a game,” Kaiba suggested carelessly, reaching to grab Yami’s hand, tugging him over the bevel and into the house, watching Mokuba’s eyes widen significantly.

“Hi Yami,” Mokuba said carefully as he pointedly ignored Seto.

“Mokuba,” Yami replied faintly, walking past him as he let Kaiba lead him into the kitchen, and the cake box was lifted out of his hands.

Mokuba’s frown deepened, and he followed Seto into the kitchen, biting back a gasp as he saw Seto press his lips gently across Yami’s forehead, watching Yami’s cheeks redden slightly.

“Gross,” he remarked, climbing up onto the barstool and propping his elbows up on the counter, watching them with great interest, catching a glare from Seto.

“Why don’t you go play a game?” Kaiba suggested coldly again, carefully balancing the cake box in one hand before wrapping his other arm protectively around Yami’s waist to lead him out of the kitchen and towards the grand staircase.

“Where are you guys going?” Mokuba asked loudly, seeing Yami turn to give him a small smile.

Yami watched as Kaiba ignored his brother and tugged gently on his arm, leading up the staircase and into his room.

Kaiba shut the door quietly behind him, and moved towards his desk. He set the cake down and carefully popped the lid off the box, marveling at his own handiwork, noticing that the cream was beginning to melt slightly due to the heat.

“Let’s eat it now,” Kaiba suggested devilishly, turning to flash Yami a handsome grin.

Yami was thrown off guard by the sudden smile, and he nodded, thinking that they were just in the kitchen and had forgotten to bring utensils.

“Good. Lay down,” Kaiba said happily, patting his desk encouragingly. He could feel himself trembling with anticipation and he prayed it didn’t show on his face.

Yami the shift in Kaiba’s tone and was instantly suspicious.

“On your desk? I would rather…on your bed,” Yami replied carefully, pointing at Kaiba’s neatly-made bed.

“No, I want to eat it off of you,” Kaiba smirked, feeling his chest tighten wonderfully as he saw Yami flush deeply.

“If that’s your request, then I have one too.” Yami countered readily, pointing into Kaiba’s bathroom. He wanted Hiro to come out of that bathroom. A Kaiba with black hair and brown eyes.

“I’ll wash up,” Kaiba nodded, misunderstanding him completely.

“No,” Yami snickered, shaking his head. “Change your hair color, and then we’ll talk.”

Kaiba paused, his finger frozen on the top button of his dress shirt as his blood ran cold. What?

“It’ll be fun!” Yami added casually, feeling his anxiety rise as he sensed Kaiba’s unease.

Kaiba swallowed the dry lump that was rising in his throat. It wasn’t that it wouldn’t be fun. It would be plenty fun, he was sure of that. He needed to know that there wasn’t anything sinister behind Yami’s request.

“I like you…regardless of what you look like, Kaiba. We’ve been over this.” Yami said impatiently, flashing back to the unpleasant scene in Hiro’s apartment after Kaiba’s shocking confession. They had both been dripping wet, and angry with each other.  
He wanted to create a nice memory with Kaiba and his dark hair.  
Was that too much to ask?  
  
“Right,” Kaiba answered sarcastically, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, remembering how Yami had gazed tenderly up at him while he was masquerading as Hiro. Yami had yet to look at him with such gentleness. But again, it had barely been two days, and Yami was asking him to return as Hiro again. What the fucking hell.

“Right.” Yami echoed, nodding towards the bathroom door. “Go on then.”

Kaiba frowned and folded his arms across his chest, hesitating for a long moment. He gazed into Yami’s face, seeing Yami blink eagerly back at him and smile encouragingly.

Yami opened his mouth to say ‘please’, but Kaiba had already turned his back. He watched as Kaiba strode into the bathroom without another word and shut the door with a soft _click!_

Yami stood very still, with the silence ringing in his ears, unable to believe his luck.  
  
Excited, he threw himself down on the bed and rolled over onto his back, staring up at the high ceiling, hearing the water running in the bathroom, and his heart thumped loudly in his chest.  
Yes.  
He was going to enjoy making love to Hiro…very much.

Kaiba stood under the water, sifting the product through his hair, watching the water run clear. He shut it off and swayed slightly, wondering what the hell was going on. Yami had really wanted him to dye his hair again, and had been giving him strange looks in the car the entire time.

  
_“Because…it’ll be fun…!”_  
  
Yami’s voice echoed through his consciousness and Kaiba sighed, stepping out of the shower stall to grab a towel. He patted himself dry, feeling unusually giddy.  
It _would_ be fun.  
Yami wanted to play.

 _I’ll play,_ Kaiba decided, hanging the towel up on the rack and staring at himself in the mirror, seeing his eyes stand out like two, shiny blue marbles against his pale skin.  
He would play, but without the brown contacts.  
He hated the feeling of the thin film covering his eyes.

Yami heard the door swing open and he sat up eagerly, his voice catching painfully his throat as he saw Kaiba march out of the bathroom, fully nude, sporting a messy crop of black hair, still slightly damp from the shower, and his blue eyes stood out clearly from underneath his dark bangs.  
The wet tips framed his face handsomely, and Yami felt himself smile widely, feeling his heart skip several beats as Kaiba stood before him, wavering uncertainly.

“Your eyes!” Yami exclaimed, feeling slightly nervous as he found that he couldn’t hold Kaiba’s gaze for too long.

Yami eased himself off the bed and ran forwards quickly, throwing his arms around Kaiba’s waist, hugging him tightly, enjoying the way his cheek felt against Kaiba’s bare skin.

Kaiba swayed from the sudden force of Yami’s embrace, and he returned the embrace with equal force as his heart raced excitedly in his chest. He gazed down at the spiky crop of hair resting on his chest and he buried his nose into it, inhaling deeply.  
Good. This was real.  
It wasn’t a dream.

“Get on the desk,” Kaiba said hollowly, and Yami beamed brightly up and him, moveing obediently towards the cake.

Yami sat down on the edge, watching as Kaiba dipped a slender finger into the icing and licked it clean, his blue eyes flashing suggestively.

Kaiba pooled the icing in his tongue and brought Yami into a gentle kiss, relishing in the warmth of Yami’s lips, hearing Yami gasp lightly and press upwards into him, his silky tongue darting playfully over his teeth.

Yami shut his eyes and looped his arms around Kaiba’s neck, feeling Kaiba’s hand trailing up his shirt, and playful fingers found his nipples through the fabric, pinching, squeezing and rolling erotically while his tongue was trapped in Kaiba’s mouth.

He let out a startled cry and Kaiba smirked, shoving his knee between Yami’s legs, earning him a sharp gasp.

“Kaiba!” Yami pulled away from the kiss to protest angrily, his hand accidently coming down against the desk and his fingers grazed the edges of the cake. He cursed and jerked his hand away, seeing Kaiba grab his wrist to move his hand towards his mouth, and a hot tongue flicked fervidly along the undersides of his nails.

Kaiba ignored him and pushed Yami down onto the desk, trailing open-mouthed kisses down his neck and Yami slid his fingers through Kaiba’s dark hair, feeling a bite sting across his collarbone.

Kaiba shoved Yami’s shirt up over his nipples, enjoying the way the fabric looked while it was bunched under his chin, and he quickly swept his finger into the cake, carefully dotting two dollops of cream right atop of Yami’s pink, perky peaks.

Yami gasped and looked down, attempting to pry Kaiba’s head away from his chest, seeing two drops of cream sitting wetly on his nipples, and his stomach twisted strangely. The cream felt cold on his skin…but it looked…sexy.

Kaiba’s expression was greedy as shoved his face forwards and latched onto one of Yami’s nipples and sucked roughly, feeling Yami jerk and shudder beneath his touch. He inched Yami’s pants off from around his hips, tasting the sweet cream on his tongue, and he bit down against the soft nubs, earning a solid gasp from Yami.

“That hurts!” Yami protested, still attempting to push Kaiba’s head away from his chest, seeing Kaiba move to suck gently on the other nipple, his teeth tugging so roughly across his skin, Yami could feel his nipples chafing and bruising.

Kaiba’s hand found its way into his pants and Yami felt cool fingers wrap around his shaft. He shivered happily and tightened his arms around Kaiba’s neck, burying his face into the soft spot underneath Kaiba’s ear, enjoying the light scent of coffee.  
He felt like he was floating and he rocked forwards into Kaiba’s touch.  
  
Kaiba’s mouth on his nipple, paired with the gentle, even strokes along his dick sent heated threads of warmth travailing from his groin to the tips of his toes.  Suddenly, Kaiba’s hands vanished and Yami felt something cold pass across his tip. He glanced down, horrified. Kaiba had piled a small mound of cream on the head of his dick, and was smirking triumphantly down at it.

“Kaiba…stop that!” Yami commanded, feeling his stomach swoop and twist with a strange arousal.

Kaiba ignored him and knelt before him, bringing his mouth heavily down onto Yami’s dick, feeling the cream hit the back of his throat and pool across the roof of his mouth. A thick sweetness spilled onto his tongue and Kaiba thudded his tongue up and down along Yami’s shaft, enjoying the way Yami’s legs twitched and jerked on either side of his head.

Yami bit back a cry and felt his head spin violently as a burning heat engulfed him thickly and blanketed him so strongly, he couldn’t draw his next breath.  
The wonderful heat slid warmly up and down against his shaft repeatedly, and he shivered pleasurably. It felt good…!  
A low curling pressure was building at the base of his cock and he gave Kaiba’s head an encouraging squeeze.

Kaiba felt Yami’s legs tighten around his head, so placed his hands on Yami’s inner thighs and pushed them wider apart, attempting to make more room for his head, feeling Yami clamp his knees down painfully on his ears, causing his vision to fade slightly, and he retaliated by sucking harder, grazing his teeth smoothly along the underside of Yami’s dick, earning a sharp gasp and a rough shudder.

The legs tightened further around his head and Kaiba gave Yami’s dick one last, rough suck before he felt Yami spasm and cum in his mouth, the thick semen mixing with the residual cream, sliding down the back of his throat, almost choking him.

Kaiba jerked his head back and swallowed forcefully, hearing Yami apologizing faintly above him.

He stared at Yami’s dick, enjoying the shiny slickness. Yami felt his face grow hot and he moved his hand to cover himself. Kaiba swatted his hand away and continued staring gleefully, wiping the residual cum from off his bottom lip as Yami spoke.

“Again.”

Kaiba grinned and gazed up into Yami’s face, appreciating the way his spiky blonde bangs framed his face nicely as he nodded in agreement. “Again…but it’s my turn.”

* * *

**Author's note [part 2]:**

_(Find me on[tumblr as UGLIFISH ](http://uglifish.tumblr.com/)for deleted scenes!)_

This chapter is dedicated these wonderful readers below!  
  
This story wouldn’t have been written to the end without your interest and support!

Thank you for your favorites and bookmarks, comments and reviews!  
It inspires me greatly and warms my soul!  
It makes me go, “!!!!! OH! There are at least 15 people here waiting for me to update this…! Maybe I should?! LOL even tho I said it was finished!”

So THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU:

**Seket !!!!**  
**!!!! FICTIONALSADIST**  
6xXBladeXx9  
Crazyjess09  
Black Cat Angel  
Cherry-Blossom0421  
**!!!! KrAzYb3CKY**  
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**IMTHIRSTY !!!!**  
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**IvyCorp**  
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AnonymousRoyalty  
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**Kaigara**  
Etern  
beecee12  
**!!!! Queen Gemini2**    
AmberLion26  
Daughter ofAres2019  
**Kaiba’s Time Shard**  
Lady Solaris  
kitt21  
Syronpha  
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minaxoxo  
Witch priestess  
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**!!!! DIVINE_SHOT**  
Littleflamekitten  
QueenofLights  
**Animaniac1017**  
LoneCreator  
Lady Fon Slytherin  
Luisa Ringo  
McNuggets  
**!!!! MitsurugiChire !!!**  
NaiveKitsune  
Neko-chan desu desu  
Oblivion's Demon  
Petunia-chan  
Puppetshow  
Rinfantasy  
RubyGees  
**!!!! Slaycinder !!!**  
SnarryLover91  
**Stacy20 !!!!**  
!!!! StarOfFeanor  
StrawHatCerberus  
The Archfiend  
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Yeryeryerrr  
ajviators  
emt534  
haneko-chan  
**katalya-potter  
** killercocoa  
**marisa-claire  
** punkneeter  
southern delight  
**!!!!xXxXxCrimsonDreamsxXxXx**  
  
---  
   
  
**Author's Note:**

> Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was roughly 190k words and retails for a measly 12 USD (or even cheaper by paperback on amazon)! 
> 
> This fic is roughly 200K words (plus countless hours of love, sweat and tears)!! Of course I am in no way a professional published writer, but if you really deeply enjoyed this work, please consider sparing [ some pocket change ](https://www.paypal.me/hellopiko) for this literal poor and starving writer. LOL 
> 
> I love writing as a hobby, and 8 bucks for a carton of eggs for breakfast would be extremely helpful :O


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